SPECIMENS 


OF 

ANCIENT  ORACULAR  AND  FIGHTING 

EOLIPILES: 

WITH  REMARKS  ON 

DRAGONS  AND  OTHER  FIRE  BREATHING  MONSTERS 

OF 

% 

MYTHOLOGY  AND  THE  MIDDLE  AGES, 

BEING 

A SUPPLEMENT 

TO  HIS 

TREATISE  ON  HYDRAULICS  AND  MECHANICS. 


BY  THOMAS  EWBANK. 


They  moved  gods  to  compassion  by  wires,  and  roused  them  to  anger  by  explosive  compounds. 


NE  W.-YORK: 

PUBLISHED  BY  THE  AUTHOR,  99  CROSBY-STREET ; 

AND  FOR  SALE  BY 

GREELY  AND  M‘ELRATH,  OPPOSITE  THE  CITY  HALL; 
AND  BY  BOOKSELLERS  GENERALLY. 


1845. 


Entered  according  to  the  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1845,  by  Thomas  Ewbank,  in  the  Clerk’s 
Office  of  the  Southern  District  of  New-York. 


SUPPLEMENT: 


ON 

ORACULAR  AND  FIGHTING  EOLIPILES. 


In  consequence  of  a suggestion  that  a little  additional  matter  on  Eoli- 
pilic  automata  would  add  interest  to  this  volume,  a few  specimens  accom- 
panied with  cursory  observations  are  subjoined.  The  figures  themselves 
constitute,  perhaps,  a better  exposition  than  anything  which  can  now  be 
written  on  the  devices  which  they  represent — devices  once  wielded  with 
terrible  effects  by  both  sacerdotal  and  military  engineers. 

Like  extinct  natural  monsters,  oracular  and  warring  Eolipiles  have 
disappeared  from  the  earth  and  left  scarcely  any  authentic  vestiges  be- 
hind. They  belonged  to  certain  states  or  conditions  of  society  which 
they  could  not  survive.  Indigenous  to  ages  of  darkness,  they  flourished 
only  in  the  absence  of  light.  Receding,  as  civilization  advanced,  it  may 
be  said  of  them,  as  of  spectres,  they  flutter  at  dawn  and  vanish  as  soon 
as  the  sun  (of  science)  has  risen.  But  they  are  not  the  less  interesting 
subjects  of  research  because  of  the  evils  they  inflicted  on  our  species, 
any  more  than  are  geological  remains  of  mammoth  beings  which  preyed 
on  inferior  tribes.  Antique  Eolipiles  are  in  some  respects  the  richest  of 
artificial,  as  fossil  bones  are  of  natural,  relics.  Both  are  unique  memo- 
rials of  past  times — vivid  remembrancers  of  strange  beings  and  dark 
deeds.  The  former  afford  proofs  of  stupendous  animals  reigning  as  mo- 
narchs  over  the  woods  and  waters  of  the  old  world ; and  the  latter  re- 
mind us  of  moral  monsters,  preying  with  surprising  facility  upon  all 
classes  of  men. 

Pictorial  representations  of  idolatrous  and  fighting  eolipiles  are  ex- 
ceedingly rare  ; and  these,  few  as  we  find  them,  if  not  transferred  to  mo- 
dern pages  will  soon  be  irrecoverably  lost.  Those  which  follow,  though 
deplorably  imperfect  and  obscure,  will  be  acceptable  to  most  readers,  if 
not  to  all.  Examples  of  the  employment  of  elastic  and  inflammable 
fluids  under  singular  circumstances,  they  can  hardly  fail  to  elicit  the 
attention  of  inquirers  into  the  origin  and  history  of  motive  mechanism. 
They  may  afford  hints  on  old  and  lost  arts.  Nor  do  they  lack  interest  to 
general,  or  even  learned  readers  ; for,  besides  illustrating  ancient  society 
and  manners,  they  reflect  light  on  the  darkest  passages  of  poetry  and  ro- 
mance : they  add  strength  to  the  conviction  that  much  which  ancient 
literature  has  failed  to  explain,  a close  examination  of  ancient  arts  may 
yet  render  clear.  Even  the  Eolipile,  simple  as  it  seems,  promises  to 
conduct  inquirers,  like  the  clew  of  Ariadne,  through  labyrinths  as  per- 
plexing as  those  which  puzzled  old  travellers  to  Egypt  and  Crete. 

Of  all  the  freaks  of  poor  human  nature,  idolatry  is  the  strangest ; and, 
taken  in  connection  with  evils  springing  from  it,  the  most  infectious  and 
fatal  of  maladies.  Hitherto  ineradicable,  inexpugnable,  it  has  tainted 
all  epochs,  polluted  all  people.  Its  ravages  have  been  more  destructive 
than  war,  more  distressing  than  famine.  It  has  been  the  fertile  source  of 
both.  Superstition,  the  parent  of  idolatry,  is  peculiar  to  man,  unless  de- 
mons be  tormented  by  it,  which  is  not  unlikely ; for,  besides  its  associa- 


G 


Rise  of  Idolatry,  Magic,  S^c. — Monsters. 

tions  being  truly  diabolical,  (it  has  every  where  erected  altars  to  Baals 
and  furnished  victims  to  Molochs,)  it  seems  the  natural,  and  may  be  the 
universal  punishment  of  mental  debasement.  It  is  to  the  mind  what  pre- 
mature decrepitude  is  to  the  body — a horrible  penalty  for  violating  a 
fundamental  law  of  our  nature,  for  stunting  the  soul’s  growth,  for  not 
cultivating  the  intellectual  with  the  physical  faculties,  that  both  might 
expand  and  improve  together  ; that  infant  puerilities  might  be  succeeded 
by  youthful  intelligence  and  masculine  knowledge.  Instead  of  this, 
superstition  unites  dwarfed  and  crippled  minds  to  grown  up  bodies — 
stocks  the  world  with  souls  blind  to  their  destinies  and  duties,  and  con- 
sequently to  the  great  purposes  of  existence  lost.  Where  else,  then,  can 
such  abortions  be  more  appropriately  consigned  than  to  the  hades  of  ig- 
norance— of  sottish  delusions — to  murky  regions,  where  the  sickly  ima- 
gination sits  an  incubus  on  the  prostrate  judgment,  and  visions  of  insanity 
are  reckoned  as  realities ; where  the  occupants  wander  among  shades, 
and  mutter  the  gibberish  of  phantoms. 

A stranger  to  natural  causes,  startling  phenomena  have  ever  filled  the 
barbarian  with  dread.  To  account  for  such  things  he  peoples  the  ele- 
ments with  imaginary  beings,  who  control,  as  he  supposes,  all  mundane 
affairs  at  their  will.  Meteorological  commotions,  pain,  sickness,  death, 
and  every  public  and  private  calamity,  were  held  as  manifestations  of 
their  power  or  their  wrath  ; hence  the  idea  of  propitiating  beings  so 
mighty  and  malignant ; hence  idolatry  with  its  direful  progeny,  magic, 
divination,  necromancy,  and  their  congeners  ; and  hence  too  the  rise  of 
those  astute  spirits  who,  from  the  beginning,  have  subdued  the  million 
by  working  on  their  fancies  and  fears — who  have  raised  themselves  into 
gods  and  sunk  the  rest  of  mankind  into  brutes.  I 

Idols  were  almost  invariably  modeled  after  hideous  forms,  because 
designed  to  excite  terror.  This  was  in  accordance  with  the  principles 
on  which  demonolatry  was  founded.  As  fear  was  to  be  awakened  it  was 
essential  to  make  them  correspond,  as  nearly  as  could  be,  with  the  evils 
they  had  power  to  inflict  or  emotions  they  were  designed  to  inflame. 
To  have  made  them  more  attractive  than  repulsive  would  have  been 
preposterous,  since  it  would  have  been  neglecting  the  cultivation  of  that 
passion  upon  which  their  efficiency  rested.  Their  makers  knew  their 
business  better.  In  nothing  is  the  versatility  of  ancient  genius  more 
apparent  than  in  representations  of  the  horrible — in  conjuring  up  images 
to  cause  the  timid  to  tremble  and  the  bold  to  recoil — the  most  hideous  of 
hybrids, in  which  were  combined  features  derived  from  every  thing  on  the 
earth  and  in  the  waters  under  the  earth  calculated  to  excite  abhorrence 
and  dread.  Perhaps  it  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  here  also  little  is  left 
for  professors  of  the  fine  arts  to  do,  except  to  imitate  works  of  old  mas- 
ters. Invention  seems  out  of  the  question.  Our  best  and  worst  specimens 
of  diablerie  and  the  monstrous  are  but  copies  and  caricatures  of  originals 
in  old  galleries  of  furies,  minotaurs,  hydras,  chimseras,  centaurs,  sphinxes, 
fauns,  dragons,  grifiins,  gorgons,  satyrs,  harpies,  hippogriffs,  and  other 
unearthly  combinations  of  human  bodies  with  those  of  beasts,  birds,  fish, 
reptiles  and  demons. 

But  ghastly,  terrific  or  fiendish  features  were  not  always  deemed  suffi- 
cient. It  was  expedient  to  communicate  active  qualities,  such  as  might 
influence  other  senses  than  the  sight,  and  which,  being  appropriate  to 
the  character  an  idol  was  intended  to  sustain,  might  serve  still  further  to 
establish  or  increase  its  fame.  Thus,  some  moved  their  heads,  arms, 
hands,  eyes  ; others  spoke,  groaned,  smiled,  perspired,  laughed,  &c.  &c. 


7 


Origin  of  Eolipilic  Idols — Their  Authors. 

A few,  like  the  image  of  Nabis,  squeezed  unbelievers  to  death  in  their 
arms,  and  others,  like  the  gods  of  the  Zidonians,  in  their  fury  swallowed 
offenders  alive.  The  repeated  declarations  in  the  Bible  that  gods  of 
stone,  wood  and  metal,  neither  saw,  heard,  ate  nor  “ spake  through  their 
throats,”  &c.  imply  that  by  priestly  artifice  these  and  other  functions  were 
imitated.  Had  all  been  dumb,  motionless  statues,  this  constant  denial  of 
such  powers  to  them  would  have  been  nugatory. 

The  date  of  androidal  idols  is  unknown : they  appear  to  have  been 
co-eval  with  the  use  of  metals — are  perhaps  of  a still  earlier  date,  for 
modern  savages  have  attempted  them.  They  were  found  so  effectual  as 
to  have  become  important  instruments  in  the  hands  of  rulers  in  ante-his- 
toric eras ; while  to  devise  and  work  them  became  the  profession  of 
priests.  As  society  advanced  the  treasures  of  states  and  temples  were 
expended  in  their  production,  and  the  influence  of  both  was  exercised  in 
establishing  their  reputation  : a union  of  wealth  and  intelligence  which 
accounts  for  the  perfection  and  celebrity  of  many  ancient  androids. 

Ever  on  the  look  out  for  novel  and  imposing  devices,  the  founders 
and  fosterers  of  idolatry  were  too  close  observers  to  overlook  the  most 
appalling  of  nature’s  displays,  and  too  keenly  alive  to  their  interests  to 
remain  ignorant  of  the  means  of  imitating  them.  At  an  early  day  those 
gods  were  counted  the  greatest  that  had  power  over  fire  and  controlled 
atmospherical  tempests— that  spake  in  thunder  and  whose  darts  were 
the  electric  fluid.  On  this  belief  Eolipilic  idols  arose,  a class  certainly 
among  the  most  productive  if  not  among  the  most  ancient.  They  were 
necessarily  the  work  of  the  founder,  not  of  the  carver,  and,  as  already 
intimated,  not  a few  of  the  “ brazen”  or  “ molten”  images  of  the  Old 
Testament  were  more  or  less  allied  to  them — an  inference  justified  by 
numerous  allusions  to  blasts  of  flame,  smoke  and  wind  issuing  from  their 
mouths  and  eyes,  &c.  There  was  probably  less  difficulty  in  the  apotheosis 
of  Eolipilic  images  than  of  others.  When  idolatry  was  universal  few 
could  refuse  subjection  to  deities  that  rivalled  Neptune  in  shaking  the 
ground — J upiter  in  his  character  of  the  thunderer ; and  Pluto — the  grim 
and  inexorable — the  sulphur-enthroned  god — in  the  worst  of  his  func- 
tions. To  none  were  apotrophic  hymns  so  fervently  addressed,  for  none 
looked  more  threatening  and  fierce,  or  gave  out  such  awful  manifesta- 
tions of  wrath. 

Of  their  authors  or  inventors  there  is  no  room  to  doubt.  They  were 
men  whose  intelligence  was  far  in  advance  of  their  times,  who  mono- 
polized knowledge  for  the  sole  interest  of  their  class.  Claiming  kin- 
dred with  heaven,  freed  from  worldly  cares,  clothed  in  reverend  vest- 
ments, they  lived  apart  from  other  people  ; holy  and  artless  in  appear- 
ance, yet  adepts  in  artifice  and  very  devils  in  craft.  Hierophantic  magi- 
cians sojourned  in  temples,  feasted  on  tythes  and  got  rich  by  means  of 
idols.  They  moved  gods  to  compassion  by  wires,  and  roused  them  to 
anger  by  explosive  compounds.  Their  professional  attainments  are  in- 
disputable. In  the  roguish  departments  of  physics  they  were  never  sur- 
passed. What  resources  and  talents  did  those  of  Egypt  display  in  com- 
jieting  with  Moses,  even  to  the  development  of  lower  forms  of  life  ! 
The  laboratory  was  their  study,  natural  science  the  volume  over  which 
they  pored,  the  knowledge  of  latent  phenomena  their  wealth.  It  is  im- 
possible to  think  on  the  variety,  magnitude  and  difficulties  of  some  of 
their  impostures  without  conceding  to  them  excelling  ingenuity  and  im- 
pudence sublime.  In  chemistry  and  mechanics  they  were  profound  : of 
their  contrivances  few  were  more  successful  than  those  to  which  both 


8 


Pustcricli,  an  Eolipilic  Idol. 


sciences  contributed ; but  of  all  their  chemico-mechanical  productions 
perhaps  none  performed  greater  deeds  of  renown  than  the  Eolipile. 

To  accomplish  its  purposes  this  instrument  put  on  a strange  diversity 
of  shapes,  and  was  endowed  with  such  attributes  as  its  adroit  managers 
required;  but,  purposely  disguised  as  it  was,  and  its  movements  inge- 
niously masked,  its  former  tricks  are  not  entirely  concealed  by  the  veil 
which  time  has  dropped  over  the  stirring  dramas  of  ancient  life.  It  may 
be  detected,  though  too  remote  to  be  distinct.  In  the  deepest  obscurity 
its  performances  are  too  peculiar  to  be  mistaken.  It  appears  to  have 
flourished  in  mythologic  and  heroic  ages,  and,  naturally  enough,  these 
were  the  times  of  its  greatest  achievements.  Besides  a few  minor  en- 
gagements, it  was  principally  employed  in  personating  three  remark- 
able characters  : — a god,  a warrior,  and  a guardian  of  treasure.  In  the 
temple  it  descended  with  neophytes  into  the  sacred  chambers  and  took 
part  in  the  lesser  and  subliraer  mysteries,  while  at  the  altar  it  confirm- 
ed the  faith  of  its  worshipers  by  miracles  wrought  in  their  presence. 

In  war  its  effects  were  once  equally  decisive.  Its  appearance  alone 
sufficed,  like  the  head  of  Medusa,  to  petrify  opponents  with  horror. 
Superstitious  troops  (in  early  times  all  were  superstitious)  were  as- 
tounded at  the  sight  of  an  enemy,  supernatural  in  form,  borne  along  in 
chariots  of  clouds  and  whirlwinds  of  fire  ; no  stronger  proof  of  the  gods 
being  against  them  could  be  adduced.  Like  the  affrighted  Philistines 
under  a similar  persuasion,  their  hearts  would  melt  within  them,  and 
ere  they  fled  they  exclaimed  with  the  warriors  of  Canaan,  “Wo  unto 
us  ! Who  shall  deliver  us  out  of  the  hands  of  these  mighty  gods  'I” 

As  a serpent  or  dragon,  it  couched  by  the  portals  of  palaces  or  lay 
at  the  entrance  of  caverns  to  protect  the  plunder  its  owners  had  gotten 
together. 

The  annexed  figures  and  subsequent  remarks  may  serve  to  elucidate  in 
a feeble  degree  a few  of  its  performances  under  each  of  these  characters. 

Idols,  especially  Eolipilic  ones,  belong  to  a department  of  ecclesias- 
tical history  hitherto  little  examined  and  less 
understood.  True,  they  recall  no  very  pleasing 
associations,  yet  they  make  us  acquainted  with 
many  curious  transactions.  This  figure  is  a re- 
presentation of  Pusterich,  a bronze  Eolipilic 
god  of  the  ancient  Germans,  described  at  page 
399,  to  which  the  reader  is  referred.  The  burn- 
ing fluids  and  flame  issued  from  the  mouth  and 
the  eye  or  orifice  in  the  middle  of  the  forehead. 

This  is  not  near  so  repulsive  as  many  An- 
cient and  modern  idols  : compared  with  some 
it  might  almost  be  deemed  engaging.  Perhaps 
its  admirers  were  too  far  advanced  to  relish  a 
mongrel  deity,  or  one  with  an  extra  number  of 
heads  or  limbs.  It  is  but  one  among  many  of 
its  kind  which  might  be  adduced,  had  we  the 
history  of  numerous  bronze  images  extant,  or 
of  others  noticed  in  antiquarian  works.  Seve- 
ral have  openings  behind  and  fitted  for  plugs, 
as  if  designed  for  charging  them  with  liquids. 

There  is  an  impressive  resemblance  between  this  figure  and  that  of  a 
Cyclop,  and  there  may  be  a real  similitude  between  idols  of  this  kind 
and  the  three  fabled  sons  of  Neptune  and  Amphitrite.  As  remarked  fur- 


No.  287.  Ancient  Eolipilic  Idol. 


C y clops. — Fighting  Eolipiles. 


9 


ther  on,  Jire-hreathing  and  other  mythic  monsters  were  not  all  mere  vi- 
sions, mystic  emblems,  or  hieroglyphical  pictures,  but  actual  brazen  be- 
ings, of  the  forms  and  with  many  of  the  functions  described — in  other 
words,  Eolipilic  idols,  personified  as  all  idols  were.  The  reader  need 
not  be  reminded  of  the  relation  of  the  Cyclops  to  fire,  since  they  were  aids 
to  Vulcan,  and  were  destroyed  by  Apollo  for  manufacturing  or  ejecting, 
like  Pusterich,  thunderbolts.  They  are  sometimes  described  as  having 
but  one  eye,  at  other  times  represented  with  three — two  in  the  ordinary 
places,  and  a third  in  the  forehead,  as  in  the  preceding  figure.  [See  plate 
page  141,  vol.  1,  Fosbroke’s  Encyc.  Antiq.J  This  idol  is  supposed  to  have 
belonged  originally  to  a high  antiquity,  and  may  possibly  be  a genuine 
Cyclop. 

Two  or  three  more  metallic  deities,  which  appear  to  be  Eolipilic,  might 
here  be  introduced ; but  as  the  fact  is  uncertain,  and  nothing  but  con- 
jectures could  accompany  them,  we  forbear.  Had  more  data  been  ac- 
cessible the  subject  would  needs  be  a thrilling  one.  No  work  of  imagi- 
nation could  be  richer  in  interest  or  more  fertile  in  intrigue  and  plots 
than  accounts  of  idolatrous  androids  of  the  more  advanced  nations  of  old, 
of  the  puppet-machinery  in  each  famous  temple,  and  the  by-play  by 
which  the  reverend  showmen  set  them  off’  to  advantage,  lulled  suspicion 
and  kept  their  audiences  in  the  right  humor.  We  may  descant  as  we 
please  on  epic  poets,  on  tragic  and  comic  authors  and  actors,  but  what 
were  the  best  of  them  compared  to  those  proto-fathers  of  fiction  and  his- 
trionic professions  ? Men  whose  theatres  were  temples,  whoso  stages 
were  altars  : master  players  on  the  passions,  who  excited  what  emotions 
they  pleased,  and  impressed  on  their  congregations  an  abiding  sense  of 
the  realities  of  the  illusions  they  exhibited.  The  subject  reaches  down  to 
the  nonage  of  society  and  comes  up  with  it  to  our  own  days;  has  relation 
to  the  most  stupendous  system  of  deception  ever  conceived,  and  the  most 
successful  one  ever  practised  by  man  upon  man;  affords  the  most  de- 
plorable and  durable  examples  of  human  credulity  and  cunning ; in- 
volves the  early  history  of  all  races  and  of  nearly  all  arts.  Its  exposition 
of  principles  of  ancient  science  would  be  highly  instructive,  and  their 
villanous  applications  often  amusing.  The  mystery  that  envelopes  it 
irresistibly  whets  curiosity.  The  little  that  is  known  makes  us  anxious  to 
push  aside  the  skreen  that  hides  from  our  view  the  ingenious  and  elabo- 
rate mechanism  by  which  pagan  monks  emasculated  the  species  and 
kept  an  awe-stricken  world  at  their  feet. 

The  following  figures  illustrate  the  fighting  qualities  of  the  Eolipile. 
As  a war-instrument  it  became  better  known  than  as  an  oracle  confined 
in  temples.  In  the  field  it  was  exposed  to  the  scrutiny  of  the  curious  as 
well  as  of  its  immediate  managers,  so  that,  whether  captured  or  not,  the 
secret  of  its  construction  could  not  long  remain  one,  or  the  device  be 
confined,  if  much  employed,  to  one  people.  Nor  did  it  cast  off’ its  pre- 
tensions to  divinity  with  this  change  of  occupation,  but  rather  sustained 
them,  for  it  was  as  a god  that  it  first  became  terrible  in  battle — as  such 
its  military  achievements  shook  neighboring  nations  with  alarm  and  ac- 
quired for  it  a celebrity  that  has  reached  to  our  times.  The  nature  of  its 
performances  remained  the  same  as  at  the  altar,  except  that  it  now  did 
not  hesitate  to  destroy  those  whom  it  could  not  convince. 

Every  people,  no  matter  how  barbarous,  esteemed  their  own  gods  .su- 
perior to  others.  It  was  indispensable  to  the  interests  of  priests  tu  keep 
this  conviction  alive  under  all  exigencies ; hence  while  victories  served 
to  establish  it,  defeats  did  not  overthrow  it.  These,  it  was  artfully  sug- 


10 


Deceptions  of  the  Pagan  Priesthood. 


gested,  were  only  proofs  of  a deity  having  become  temporary  offended, 
either  for  not  being  properly  invoked  or  on  account  of  indignities  offered 
to  his  ministers.  It  was  only  to  make  his  proteges  sensible  of  his  dis- 
pleasure that  on  such  occasions  he  left  them  a prey  to  their  foes  ! Pagan 
history  is  full  of  examples,  they  abound  in  the  Iliad,  which  opens  with 
one.  Thus  the  character  of  an  oracle  or  idol,  and  the  influence  of  its  offi- 
cials were  ingeniously  preserved  whether  those  who  trusted  in  it  became 
conquerors  or  conquered,  victors  or  victims.  Such  was  the  practice  un- 
der ordinary  circumstances,  the  god  remaining  the  while  undisturbed  in 
his  fane ; but  when  extraordinary  calamities  threatened,  when  an  invad- 
ing army  approached  and  his  worshippers  were  menaced  with  captivity 
or  famine,  corresponding  efforts  were  made  to  appease  and  even  to  com- 
pel him  to  be  propitious.  Bribes  were  held  out,  votive  gifts,  hecatombs 
and  new  temples  promised — processions  in  his  honor  were  got  up,  with 
sacred  banners,  relics,  &c.  borne  aloft,  (an  European  practice  through 
the  middle  ages,  and  an  Asiatic  one  yet.)  Then  to  make  sure  of  success 
by  connecting  his  fate  with  that  of  his  followers,  the  latter  took  him  down 
from  his  shrine  and  carried  him  to  the  battle-ground,  under  a belief  that 
he  would  not  suffer  himself  to  be  taken  if  he  were  disposed  to  leave 
them  in  the  lurch.  On  the  same  principle  idolaters  of  every  age  have 
acted.  The  early  Jews  were  not  free  from  the  strange  infatuation^  nor 
is  it  easy  to  see  how  they  could  have  been  better  informed  previous  to 
or  at  the  period  of  the  Exodus.  They  were  as  much  attached  to  idols  as 
the  Egyptians,  and  took  the  first  opportunity  that  the  absence  of  Moses 
presented  for  making  an  image  of  Apis.  After  the  severe  defeat  at 
Aphek,  some  of  the  ignorant  got  up  a cry  to  bring  the  ark  to  the  camp  and 
renew  the  contest  under  its  auspices.  “ When  it  cometh  among  us  it  may 
save  us  out  of  the  hands  of  our  enemies.”  To  this  the  better  informed 
probably  acceded  with  the  hope  that  Jehovah  would  protect  it,  and  the 
people  for  its  sake,  but  they  were  mistaken — they  were  routed,  thirty 
thousand  were  slain,  “ the  ark  of  God  was  taken,”  and  exhibited  in  the 
principal  cities  of  the  captors  for  a period  of  seven  months,  during  which 
Phenician  priests  and  artists  were  probably  not  very  scrupulous  in  ex- 
amining its  contents,  its  designs  and  decorations,  the  cherubim  of  ham- 
mered gold,  their  forms,  features,  wings,  &c. 

In  this  same  manner  warring  Eolipiles  became  known  to  others  than 
their  designers : as  gods  and  demi-gods  they  made  their  debut  in  battle. 
As  such  they  were  victorious,  and  as  such  were  eventually  captured. 
Exaggerated  accounts  of  some  of  the  earliest  are  preserved  in  mythologi- 
cal annals.  So  awful  were  their  attributes  and  so  terrific  their  appearance, 
that  their  very  looks  overcame  their  opponents.  Of  this  Briareus  was 
an  example ; but  when  their  artificial  nature  became  known  they  put  on 
less  formidable  shapes,  their  efficacy  then  depending  more  on  what  they 
did  than  how  they  looked.  In  comparatively  modern  epochs  they 
never,  however,  attained  much  beauty,  if  we  might  judge  of  the  one 
on  the  following  page. 

The  age  to  which  the  specimen  figured  in  the  next  cut  belonged  is 
unknown.  It  and  No.  289  are  from  a Latin  folio  published  in  Paris  in 
1535,  containing  Vegetius  on  Military  Machinery  and  Institutions,  Elian 
on  Tactics,  Frontinus  on  Strategems,  and  the  Book  of  Modestus  on 
Military  Affairs  : — collated  from  codices  by  Budeus,  the  celebrated 

French  critic.  Attached  to,  and  paged  with  Vegetius,  are  one  hundred 
and  twenty  folio  illustrations,  rudely  executed  on  wood.  They  are  co- 
pies of  those  of  the  old  German  translation  to  which  we  have  frequently 


11 


Ancient  Fighting  Eolipile, 

referred,  with  the  exception  of  a couple  of  reduced  fac -similes  which 
are  now  before  the  reader,  (a ) 


No.  288.  Ancient  Fighting  Eolipile. 

As  not  a word  of  explanation  accompanies  this  singular  figure,  (nor 
any  other  in  the  book,)  and  little  or  nothing  is  to  be  found  in  Vegetius 
or  other  Roman  authors  to  aid  us,  all  that  we  can  offer  must  be  received 
as  conjecture.  If  the  magnitude  of  the  machine  be  judged  from  other 
illustrations  in  the  collection,  it  was  colossal.  No  object  is  portrayed 
near  it  by  which  to  infer  its  relative  dimensions.  The  general  outline 
represents  the-  human  bust,  and  the  whole  seems  to  have  been  an  enor- 
mous Pusterich  on  wheels.  It  probably  combined  the  god  with  the  war- 
rior, assuming  the  character  of  each  as  occasion  required.  It  is  no  bad 
representative  of  both ; and  the  powers  it  possessed  of  punishing  its 
enemies  are  as  obvious  as  they  were  awful.  The  ignited  jet  issued  from 
the  conical  tube  whose  wide  end  is  riveted  to  the  forehead — (a  small 
pipe  descending  from  it  to  the  bottom  of  the  bust,  as  in  the  air-vessels 
of  fire-engines,)  and  possibly,  also,  out  of  its  eyes  and  mouth.  The  pro- 
longation of  the  nose,  and  the  daggers  projecting  from  the  mouth,  were 
intended  to  ward  oft’  blows  during  assaults,  and  to  prevent  access  to 
it,  lest  the  orifice  or  orifices  should  be  spiked  or  otherwise  closed.  Point- 
ed projections  of  this  kind  are  quite  common  adjuncts  in  old  war  en- 
gines. 

As  this  Eolipile  is  figured  at  rest  and  not  in  use,  neither  fire,  fire-place, 
nor  the  mode  of  charging  it  is  delineated.  The  fuel  was  probably  applied 
in  the  lower  part  of  the  bust  behind,  though  it  may  have  been  kindled 


(«)  “ FI.  Vegetii  Renati  viri  illustris  de  re  militari  libri  quatuor.  Sextiivlii  Fron- 
tini  viri  consularis  de  str^tegematis  libri  totidem.  ^liani  de  instruendis  aciebns 
liber  unus.  Modesti  de  vocabulis  rei  militaris  liber  unus.  Item  picUiroe  bellica? 
cxx.  passim  Vegetio  adjectse.  Collata  sunt  omnia  ad  antiques  codices,  maximo 
Buda2i,  quod  testabitur  iElianus.  Parisiis,  mdxxxv.” 


12 


Eolipilic  War-Dragon. 


externally,  the  head  being  for  that  purpose  inclined  backwards  and  rest- 
ing on  the  cornigerous  and  auricular  prolongations,  which  would,  like 
the  feet  of  a caldron,  form  a tripod  to  support  it.  But  much  allowance 
must  be  made  for  old  illustrations.  Scarcely  ever  is  an  attempt  made  to 
delineate  interior  parts  or  external  details.  One  object  of  the  horn  and 
ears  was  obviously  to  vary  the  direction  of  the  jet,  to  incline  the  tube  to 
the  right  or  left,  up  or  down,  somewhat  in  the  manner  of  the  syringe 
engine  of  Besson.  The  wheels  are  solid,  and  as  there  are  but  two,  some 
mechanism  for  preserving  the  image  in  an  upright  position  was  neces- 
sary : as  they  moved  on  separate  axles  the  tube  could  as  readily  be 
turned  in  a lateral  direction  as  it  could  be  elevated  or  depressed.  The 
manner  of  conveying  this  machine  to  considerable  distances  is  not  indi- 
cated, probably  because  it  was  rather  intended  as  a stationary  means  of 
defence,  than,  like  the  next>  a moveable  one  for  attack. 


Here  is  a variety  of  the  griffin,  hippogriff,  or  dragon  genus,  placed  on 
four  wheels,  and  evidently  designed  to  break  the  ranks  of  an  opposing 
army,  by  being  driven  through  them.  The  burning  liquids  rushed  out  ot 
two  rows  of  small  holes  on  the  upper  jaw  or  lip  : the  effect  forcibly  re- 
minding one  of  mythic  monsters  from  whose  nostrils  went  forth  smoke, 
and  from  whose  mouths  issued  flame.  No  provision  is  shown  for  raising 
or  lowering  the  jets,  nor  was  any  necessary,  for  from  the  elevation  and 
position  of  the  orifices,  troops  among  whom  this  engine  forced  its  way 
could  not  avoid  either  right  or  left  its  fluid  and  scorching  missive.  The 
rod  held  by  the  captain  or  leader  is  enlarged  and  pierced  or  cloven  at 
its  upper  end,  where  it  is  joined  to  the  head  : it  is  apparently  a lever  by 
which  the  plug  of  a cock  was  turned  to  open  and  shut  off  the  discharge. 
We  may  suppose  the  passage  was  closed  in  the  present  position  of  the 
lever,  and  that  to  open  it  the  manager  pulled  back  the  end  he  grasps, 
until,  like  a modern  artillerist,  he  became  sufficiently  in  the  rear  to  be 
out  of  harm’s  way  when  the  jets  found  vent ; he  then  could  join  his  asso- 
ciates in  directing  the  monster’s  movements.  The  wheels,  as  in  the  last 
figure,  are  represented  solid,  a feature  undoubtedly  genuine ; for  it  was 
the  uniform  practice  to  attempt  to  stop  the  progress  of  such  war-chariots 
as  had  wheels  with  spokes,  by  throwing  spears,  &c.  between  the  latter; 


Its  ejf'ccts  in  battle. — Dragons  figured  on  'Banners.  13 

and  hence  such  wheels  were  sometimes  covered  with  boards  or  plates  of 
iron  previous  to  entering  into  battle. 

The  sword  or  dagger-like  tongue  kept  an  enemy  from  approaching 
too  near  in  front,  while  the  flames  protected  both  sides.  It  would  not 
have  answered  the  purposes  of  this  war-engine  to  have  made  its  sides 
horrent  with  bayonets,  for  they  would  have  retarded  its  progress  by  con- 
tact with  every  obstacle  within  their  reach.  Its  efflciency  depended  chief- 
ly on  the  velocity  and  precision  of  its  movements,  it  would  therefore  be 
divested, of  every  thing  calculated  to  interfere  with  these.  The  inclina- 
tion of  the  tongue  was  designed  to  remove  obstacles  from  the  path. 
Had  the  spike  been  horizontal  it  would  have  transfixed  objects  it  met 
with,  and  the  progress  of  the  machine  would  soon  have  been  stopped. 
This  machine  is  apparently  represented  as  in  times  of  peace,  for,  unlike 
most  others  in  the  collection,  no  signs  of  war  are  delineated  in  the  land- 
scape. The  fire  was  perhaps  applied  externally,  as  in  the  case  of  Pus- 
terich,  the  brazen  monster  belonging  to  the  Tyrant  of  Agrigentum,  and 
other  ancient  devices  of  the  kind:  but  this  part  of  the  subject  is  very 
obscure.  Like  chariots  with  swords  and  scythes  fixed  to  them,  and 
others  with  similar  weapons  revolving  in  their  fronts,  this  machine  when 
in  active  service  was  most  likely  urged  forward  by  horses  }^oked  behind  ; 
or  by  a number  of  men  applying  their  force  to  bars  attached  to  and  ra- 
diating from  the  rear — both  ancient  and  very  common  war  devices. 

An  enormous  Eolipile,  formed  after  the  above  pattern,  charged  with 
inflammable  liquids,  and  driven  furiously  and  unexpectedly  upon  a su- 
perstitious foe,  must  not  only  have  borne  all  before  it,  like  a modern 
locomotive,  but  must  have  rendered  opposition  hopeless  until  its  contents 
were  expended. 

The  dimensions  of  this  war  dragon  cannot  safely  be  inferre^d  from 
those  of  the  men  attached  to  it,  for  in  most  of  the  plates  in  the  work 
whence  it  is  taken,  no  kind  of  proportion  is  preserved.  Soldiers  raising 
ladders  to  scale  the  walls  of  high  towers  are  often  drawn  sufficiently  tall 
to  reach  the  roof  with  their  hands. 

As  the  name  of  a war  machine,  the  term  dragon  was  continued  to 
modern  times.  It  was  early  given  to  pieces  of  ordnance,  to  devices  re- 
sembling in  their  attributes  ancient  Eolipilic  monsters.  Ciilverines  were 
originally  called  fiery-dragons.  The  Draconarii  of  the  Romans  bore 
dragons  on  their  standards ; the  Parthians,  Indians,  Persians,  Scythians, 
Assyrians,  Normans,  Saxons,  Welsh,  and  all  the  Celtic  and  Gothic  na- 
tions painted  the  same  thing  upon  their  banners  and  pennons,  as  the 
Chinese,  Russians,  Tartars,  &c.  do  now.  Modern  dragoons  have  pro- 
bably also  derived  their  designation  from  soldiers  who  formerly  managed 
Eolipilic  dragons,  as  in  the  preceding  figure  ; the  name  being  preser\’ed 
in  war’s  vocabulary  after  the  office  and  instrument  were  forgotten.  Or- 
ders of  chivalry  were  named  after  the  dragon,  and  heraldry  abounds 
with  its  figures. 

Let  us  now  turn  to  the  history  of  the  Goths,  by  Olaus  Magnus.  (Basil 
ed.  1567.)  The  fourth  chapter  of  the  ninth  book  is  headed,  “ De  cereis 
equis  ignivomis^^ — “Of  brazen  horses  that  vomit  fire.”  The  materials  of 
the  chapter  are  condensed  from  the  History  of  the  Danes,  by  Saxo 
Grammaticus,  a writer  who  flourished  A.  D.  1140.  The  principal  inci- 
dent relates  to  the  stratagetic  skill  of  an  old  king,  licgnerus,  who  was 
eventually  put  to  death  by  his  sons,  Daxon  and  Dian.  On  one  occasion 
the  two  rebellious  brothers  invaded  their  father’s  kingdom,  having  been 
furnished  for  the  purpose  with  a large  army  by  king  Ruthenus,  whose 


14 


'Brazen  Horses  that  vomited  Fire. 


daughters  they  had  married.  Alarmed  at  the  mighty  forces  brought 
against  him,  Regnerus  ordered  a number  of  brazen,  fire-breathing  horses 
to  be  secured  on  chariots,  and  whirled  suddenly  into  the  densest  body 
of  his  enemies.  The  manceuvre  succeeded,  and  his  unnatural  sons  were 
put  to  flight.  It  appears  that  the  chariots  and  their  burdens  were  ex- 
ceedingly massive,  since  they  overwhelmed  whatever  opposed  them. 
We  add  the  passage  at  large  from  Saxo.  It  will  be  perceived  that  he 
is  silent  respecting  the  fire-vomiting  faculty  of  the  metallic  chargers, 
though  that  was  clearly  implied  in  the  opinion  of  the  Gothic  historian ; 
an  opinion  that  can  hardly  be  questioned. 

Post  haec  Regnerus,  expeditionem  in  Hellesponticos  parans,  vocata- 
que  Danorum  concione,  saluberrimas  se  populo  leges  laturum  promit- 
lens,  ut  unusquisque  paterfamilias,  secut  ante,  quern  minimi  inter 
liberos  duxerat,  militaturum  exhiberet,  ita  tunc  valentioris  operae  filiuin 
aut  probatioris  fidei  servum  armaret,  edixit.  Quo  facto  omnibus,  quos 
ex  Thora  procreverat,  filiis,  praeter  ubbonen,  assumptis,  Hellespontum 
ejusque  regem  Dian  variis  contusum  bellis  lacessendo  perdomuit.  Ad 
ultimum  eundem  creberrimis  discriminibus  implicatum  extinxit.  Cujus 
filii  Dian  et  Daxon,  olim  Ruteni  regis  filias  maritali  sorte  complexi,  im- 
petratis  a socero  copiis,  ardentissimo  spiritu  paternas  vindictae  negotium 
rapuerunt.  Quorum  Regnerus  immensum  animadvertens  exercitum, 
diffidentia  copiarum  habita,  equos  ceneos  ductilibus  rotalis  superpositos  ac 
versatilibus  curriculis  circumductos  in  confertissimos  hostes  maxima  vi 
exagitari  praecepit.  Quae  res  tantum  ad  laxandam  adversariorum  aciem 
valuit,  ut  vincendi  spes  magis  in  machinamento  quam  milite  reposita 
videretur,  cujus  intolerabilis  moles,  quicquid  impulit  obruit.  Altero 
ergo  ducum  interfecto  altero  fuga  sublapso,  universus  Hellisponticorum 
cessit  exercitus.  Scithae  quoque,  Daxon  arctissimo  materni  sanguinis 
vinculo  contingentes,  eodem  obstriti  discrimine  refuruntur.  Quorum 
provincia  Witserco  attributa,  Rutenorum  reg.  parum  viribus  fidens,  for- 
midolosa  Regneri  arma  fuga  praecurrere  maturavit. 

[Saxo  Grammatici  Historia  Dania.  Edited  by  P.  E.  Muller.  Copenbagen,  1839.  Liber  ix.  p.  452.) 

In  a note  on  the  Equos  ^neos,  the  editor,  not  knowing  that  such 
things  had  ever  been,  observes,  “ commentum  nescio  unde  petitum.” 


No.  290.  Eolipilic  War-Engines. 

The  cut  No.  290  is  copied  from  the  rude  illustrations  of  the  fourth  and 
fifth  chapters,  Book  ix,  of  Olaus  Magnus.  A figure  of  one  of  the  brazen 


Greek-Jire. — Cojypcr  imagoes  of  Men. 


Id 


horses  is  in  the  foreground,  but  as  usual  it  is  a mere  outline,  and  was 
perhaps  designed  by  the  illustrator  of  the  Gothic  historian’s  work  from 
the  meagre  description  its  pages  or  those  of  Saxo  alford.  Nothing  defi- 
nite can  be  derived  from  it  which  the  text  does  not  furnish.  Neither  the 
carriage  nor  its  load  comes  up  to  the  description  : the  words  imply  that 
the  images  had  some  elastic  and  revolving  mechanism  of  their  own,  and 
versatile  chariots  meant  something  more  than  common  carts. 

The  fifth  chapter  (Book  ix)  is  on  the  same  subject,  and  to  this  effect. 
* Vincentius  in  Spec.  Histo.  L.  xxxi.  Cap.  10,  asserts  that  the  king  of  the 
Indians,  commonly  called  Prester  John,  being  attacked  by  a powerful 
army  of  Ethiopian  Saracens,  enemies  of  the  Christian  faith,  delivered 
himself  by  a stratagem  not  unlike  that  of  Regnerus,  for  he  made  copper 
images  of  men  and  mounted  each  upon  a horse.  Behind  every  image  was 
a man  to  govern  it,  and  to  blow  with  a bellows,  through  holes  made  for 
the  purpose,  on  fumid  materials  inserted  beforehand  into  the  body  of  the 
image.  Provided  with  a large  number  of  these  he  proceeded  vigorously 
against  his  enemies,  whom  Vincentius  calls  Mongols  or  Tartars.  The 
mounted  images  being  ranged  side  by  side  in  front  of  the  hostile  army, 
their  managers  were  directed  to  advance,  and  when  arrived  within  a 
short  distance  of  the  foe  to  commence  blowing  with  their  bellows  the 
smoking  fire  within,  and  with  a continual  blast  to  fill  the  air  with  dark- 
ness— the  consequences  of  which  were  that  many  of  the  invaders  were 
slain  and  others  took  to  sudden  flight.  Large  numbers  of  horsemen  and 
horses  were  burnt  to  death  and  some  reduced  to  ashes  hg  Greekfre, 
composed  of  the  following  ingredients,  by  the  artificers  of  Prester  John: 

Aspaltum,  nepta,  dragantnm,  pix  quoque  Greca, 

Suiphur,  vernicis,  de  pelrolio  quoque  vilro, 

Mercuriij  sal  gemmee  Gfaeci  dicitur  ignis. 

Item:  Sulphur,  petrolium,  colopho,  resi,  terebinthi, 

Aspaltum,  camphora,  nepta,  armo,  benediclum.’ 

Magnus  could  make  nothing  out  of  these  old  poetic  recipes.  He  thought 
it  would  be  a vain  task  to  attempt  their  explanation,  and  wicked  to  revive 
the  invention.  He  seems  to  have  been  of  an  opinion — once  heartily  enter- 
tained— that  the  souls  of  the  authors  of  Greek-fire  and  gunpowder  were 
reaping  their  appropriate  rewards  in  perdition,  doomed  for  ever  to  taste 
of  torments  which  their  “devilish  devices”  inflicted  on  others.  Vincen- 
tius, or  Vincent  De  Beauvais,  was  a learned  monk  of  the  13th  century, 
and  one  of  the  most  voluminous  writers  whose  works  furnished  employ- 
ment to  the  first  race  of  printers.  He  died  about  1260.  His  “Speculum 
Historiale”  was  printed  in  1473.  The  most  striking  incident  drawn  from 
it  by  the  Gothic  writer  we  quoted  at  page  400,  from  Carpini,  a contem- 
porary monk,  who  began  his  travels  in  1245,  and  to  whom  he  of  Beauvais 
was  most  likely  indebted  for  it. 

If  the  reader  will  now  look  again  at  the  last  cut  he  will  find  on  the 
back  ground  a miniature  of  one  of  the  brazen  horsemen  in  the  act  of 
attacking  the  Mongols,  and  with  a living  soldier  on  the  crupper  per- 
forming his  part  of  the  business  with  bellows.  There  is  certainly  an  air 
of  romance  about  these  figures  ; but  accounts  of  them  reaching  us  through 
ages  and  hot-beds  of  legends,  might  be  expected  to  be  loaded  with 
apocryphal  matters.  Of  the  main  feature,  that  of-  ejecting  flame  and 
smoke,  there  is  no  room  to  question,  since  it  is  corroborated  by  old 
writers  on  Greek-fire,  by  the  brazen  horses  of  Saxo,  and  the  preceding 
figures  in  this  supplement.  But  Carpini’s  relation  does  not  savor  so 


16 


Greek-Jire  a liquid. — Modes  of  ejecting  it. 

much  of  poetry  as  may  be  supposed.  The  principal  difRculty  is  in 
mounting  the  images  on  natural  horses;  but  this  is  not  a necessary  in- 
ference. They  may  have  been  artificial  as  well  as  their  automaton 
riders — and  we  believe  were  so — were  secured,  like  those  mentioned 
by  Saxo,  on  carriages,  and  behind  them  the  bellows-blowers  were  loca- 
ted. If  this  is  not  what  Carpini  meant,  we  should  say  he  misunderstood 
his  informant.  Living  horses,  with  flames  roaring  and  rushing  from  ori- 
fices close  to  their  eyes  and  ears,  would  be  as  likely  to  be  afirighted  as 
those  they  attacked  : however  drilled,  they  could  not  in  such  circumstan- 
ces be  managed  without  difficulty  and  without  requiring  the  whole  at- 
tention of  their  riders,  but  the  latter  were  entirely  engaged  in  urging  the 
fires  at  the  most  critical  periods  of  the  charge,  leaving  the  animals  to 
pursue  the  right  course  of  themselves.  W e presume  the  metalline  ima- 
ges were  a species  of  Hippocentaurs,  the  flames  issuing  from  the  hu- 
man bust,  and  the  fluid  and  other  materials  contained  in  the  spacious 
abdomen  below. 

It  is  said  these  equestrian  images  cast  forth  G reek-fire;  were  they 
then  Eolipiles'f  mounted  Pusterichs'?  i.  e.  were  they  charged  with  li- 
quids, or  with  dry  substances,  which  once  ignited  continued  of  them- 
selves to  burn  until  the  whole  became  expended  % From  the  want  of 
specific  information  it  is  difficult  to  arrive  at  a definite  conclusion  on  this 
point.  The  evidence,  however,  preponderates  in  favor  of  their  Eolipi- 
lic  character.  Had  the  contents  been  a composition  similar  to  any  thing 
used  in  modern  pyrotechnics,  what  need  of  fire  to  heat  them  and  of  bel- 
lows to  urge  the  fire  1 How  did  the  flaming  stream  continue  to  issue 
from  its  orifice  with  unabated  force  as  the  material  diminished  within, 
as  it  sank  far  below  the  place  of  exit  % Would  not  the  image  be  liable 
to  explode  ere  its  contents  were  half  emptied  % If  not,  why  have  me- 
tallic images  % Those  of  fragile  materials  wmuld  have  done.  Again,  the 
reaction  of  the  jet,  like  that  of  a rocket,  would  require  no  small  force  to 
be  overcome : it  would  be  very  apt  to  shoot  the  brazen  warriors  back 
among  their  friends,  instead  of  their  carrying  destruction  among  their 
foes.  But  not  one  of  these  objections,  and  others  which  might  be  named, 
apply  to  Eolipiles — to  a liquid  discharged  by  the  elasticity  of  its  own 
vapor,  or  the  vapor  itself  thus  shot  forth.  With  these  instruments  the 
employment  of  fuel  was  necesary  and  the  application  of  a blast  in  time  of 
action  important  if  not  indispensable.  But,  what  is  more  to  the  point, 
Greek-fire  was  a liquid.  See  p.  307,  8.  Meyrick,  in  his  account  of  ancient 
armor,  gives  its  composition  from  an  author  of  the  time  of  Edward  HI. 
Several  ingredients  enumerated  are  mentioned  in  the  preceding  re- 
cipes from  Vincentius : — An  equal  quantity  of  pulverized  rosin,  sul- 
phur and  pitch  ; one  fourth  of  o^opanax  and  of  pigeons’  dung  well  dried, 
were  dissolved  in  turpentine  water,  or  oil  of  sulphur : then  put  into  a 
close  and  strong  glass  vessel  and  heated  for  fifteen  days  in  an  oven,  after 
which  the  whole  was  distilled  in  the  manner  of  spirit  of  wine,  and  kept 
for  use.  Another  account  makes  it  to  consist  chiefly  of  turpentine 
water  (spirits  of  turpentine)  slowly  distilled  with  turpentine  gum.  It 
was  said  to  ignite  by  coming  in  contact  with  water. 

Two  distinct  modes  of  dispersing  the  horrible  fluid  are  mentioned  ; 
one  by  forcing-pumps,  the  other  by  “ blowing”  it  through  tubes  and 
from  the  mouths,  &c.  of  metallic  monsters.  The  former  is  noticed  in 
connection  with  naval  warfare,  and  the  latter,  if  we  mistake  not,  was 
chiefly  employed  in  conflicts  on  land.  Any  one  can  see  how  difficult  it 
would  be  for  soldiers  promptly  to  apply  pumps  in  the  confusion  of  bat- 


Greek-Fire  and  modes  of  projecting  it. 


17 


tie.  Apparatus  equal  to  our  fire-engines  would  have  been  of  little  effect, 
for  the  jets  could  but  feebly  be  sustained,  and  worse  directed  while  the 
reservoirs,  engines  and  men  were  in  motion,  whirling  hither  and  thither, 
now  advancing  and  anon  retreating.  We  read  also  of  portable  “ siphones'* 
being  also  used,  but  these  and  the  necessary  ^•essels  to  hold  the  liquid 
were  still  less  likely  to  be  effective  except  on  ships  in  close  combat ; 
where  to  keep  up  conflagrations,  the  fluid  could  be  ejected,  cold  and  un- 
ignited, on  parts  already  kindled-~as  if  our  engines  were  to  be  employed 
to  lanch  oil  or  turpentine  on  objects  already  in  flames.  On  ship-board, 
the  reservoirs  were  always  at  hand,  and  both  men  and  the  fixed  pumps 
they  worked  relatively  at  rest,  and  moreover  protected  either  between 
decks  or  in  equally  secure  locations,  so  that  one  or  two  individuals  alone 
sufficed  to  direct  the  fiery  streams  over  a galley’s  bow  or  sides,  and 
through  flexible  or  jointed  ajutages. 

The  expression  “ blown  thi'ough  tubes,”  &:c.  could,  of  course,  have  no 
reference  to  any  thing  like  the  sarbacan,  nor  to  any  employment  of  hu- 
man lungs.  No  adequate  and  no  continuous  force  could  have  been  ob» 
tained  except  by  artificial  means,  and  of  those  by  none  so  readily  as  by 
the  Eolipile.  That  this  instrument  was  intended,  the  figures  in  the  cut 
strongly  indicate.  If  the  vapor  of  the  fiery  liquid  was  ejected,  we  know 
that  nothing  else  could  have  answered.  But  both  the  idea  and  expression 
are  used  at  this  day  with  respect  to  modern  Eolipiles  : engineers  “ blow 
off”  steam  by  opening  a safety  valve  or  other  aperture  of  a boiler;  and 
when  one  of  these  explodes,  on  shore  or  afloat,  how  often  is  it  said  of 
missing  individuals  and  objects,  they  were  “ blown  overboard”- — or 

blown  to  such  and  such  distances.”  On  a review  then  of  the  particu- 
lars that  have  reached  us  respecting  the  famous  Greek-fire,  it  seems  that 
the  machinery  for  ejecting  it  on  shipboard  was  a species  of  pump  ; and 
on  land  by  large  boilers,  suspended  on  wheels  and  driven  by  horses  or 
men,  made  in  fantastic  forms  of  men  and  animals,  fiom  whose  mouths 
the  flaming  torrents  were  ejected.  This,  ancient  writers  have  asserted, 
and  the  figures  we  have  given  confirm. 

That  Greek-fire  was  rather  the  revival  of  an  old  thing  than  the  dis- 
covery of  a new  one,  and  that  both  the  fire  and  the  machines  for  dis- 
persing it — -Eolipilic  devices  infinitely  more  grotesque  than  any  figured 
on  these  pages — -were  known  in  extremely  remote  times,  is,  we  think, 
pretty  clear.  Under  this  impression  some  further  remarks  are  submitted 
with  the  view  of  eliciting  attention  to  a curious  and  interesting  subject 
of  archeological  research — one  which,  it  will  be  conceded,  appears  to 
reflect  light  on  old  legends  as  well  as  on  old  Eolipiles. 

The  history  of  idolatrous  and  other  Eolipilic  automata  is  lost  or  per- 
haps never  was  written,  and  now  the  (opportunity,  the  materials  and  men 
for  preparing  it  are  gone ; the  requisite  knowledge  did  not  sufficiently 
transpire  beyond  the  walls  of  temples,  and  even  there  was  confined  to  a 
privileged  few.  Such  a record  could  only  have  been  furnished  by  those 
who  had  every  earthly  inducement  to  suppress  it — by  men  whose  private 
labors  were  devoted  to  disguise  the  elements  of  deceptive  devices  they 
employed,  and  whose  public  administrations  still  further  concealed  them. 
It  may  therefore  be  concluded  that  such  an  exposed  was  never  made,  or, 
if  made,  religiously  reserved  for  the  perusal  of  heads  of  colleges  or  the 
eyes  of  arch-magicians  alone.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  so  valuable  a 
fund  of  hidden  knowledge,  of  mechanical  and  chemical  combinations,  of 
singular  discoveries  and  inventions;  a bibliotheca  for  philosophers  and 


18 


Mythic  Monsters  and  Dragon-killing  Heroes. 


artisans,  illustrating,  probably,  every  branch  of  ancient  science  and  ex- 
posing the  secret  worldngs  of  some  of  the  shrewdest  spirits  of  antiquity — 
should  bo  lost.  It  would  have  enabled  us  to  repeat  staple  tricks  of  Baby- 
lonian sorcerers  and  soothsayers,  and  would  have  placed  us  in  a more 
favorable  position  for  observation  than  was  Pharaoh  when  he  commanded 
“the  magicians  of  Egypt  and  the  wise  men  thereof”  to  exhibit  their 
skill  in  his  presence. 

It  is  with  Eolipiles  as  with  other  materiel  of  old  jugglers.  The  few 
broken  specimens  and  straggling  notices  which  have  come  down  are  in- 
teresting but  unsatisfactory;  they  tantalize  with  a sip,  and  make  the 
mouth  water  for  more,  provoking  a thirst  which  they  cannot  allay.  That 
these  instruments  are  of  a very  high  antiquity  is  undeniable,  and  that 
they  were  occasionally  used  to  eject  inflammable  fluids  for  deceptive 
and  destructive  purposes  is  equally  certain.  The  resemblance  in  the 
forms  and  functions  of  those  we  have  figured  to  mythological  fire-spout- 
ing monsters,  is  too  striking  to  escape  observation.  And  is  there  any  ab- 
surdity in  supposing  both  were  artificial ; that  the  latter  were  literally 
what  they  are  described  ; and  that  stories  of  dragon-killing  heroes  are 
not  quite  so  romantic  as  they  appear  % A literal  interpretation  of  such 
matters  may  appear  preposterous,  but  a slight  view  of  the  subject  will 
convince  unprejudiced  minds  that  it  is  not  half  so  absurd  as  many  receiv- 
ed metaphorical  solutions,  nor  is  it,  like  them,  embarrassed  with  insur- 
mountable difficulties ; on  the  contrary,  it  renders  things  intelligible 
which  paleologists  have  not  ventured  to  explain,  and  which,  without  re- 
ference to  Eolipilic  automata,  we  presume  they  never  can  explain — 
things  so  bizarre  they  know  not  what  to  make  of  them.  But  once  admit 
they  were  what  they  pretend  to  be,  and  there  is  little  difficulty  in  receiv- 
ing them ; interpret  them  by  some  other  rule,  and  we  are  at  once  cast 
adrift  on  the  ocean  of  conjecture. 

Admit  that  mythic  characters  obtained  celebrity  from  battling  with 
Eolipilic  opponents ; that  some,  at  least,  of  the  dragons  and  many-headed 
monsters  of  antiquity  performed  actions  ascribed  to  them — belched  out 
smoke  and  flame,  shrieked  and  growled,  and  on  the  approach  of  strangers 
or  “curious  impertinents ” shook  theraselv-es,  sprung  from  their  caves, 
(they  were  commonly  and  for  good  reasons  located  in  dark  places)  often 
destroyed  those  who  attacked  them,  and  sometimes  disappeared  in  sudden 
bursts  of  thunder  and  amidst  showers  of  thunderbolts — very  much  as 
their  descendants,  the  steam-dragons  of  the  present  day,  unfortunately 
now  and  then  do.  Admit  this,  and  passages  in  history,  poetry  and  tradi- 
tion, hitherto  inexplicable,  become  recitals  of  facts;  embarrassing  enig- 
mas are  unriddled,  and  the  supposed  offspring  of  fancy  are  found  sober 
children  of  truth.  That  Greek  and  Roman  writers  did  not  perceive  this 
is  little  to  the  point,  since  they  do  not  appear  to  have  been  acquainted 
with  fighting  Eolipiles;  they  were  therefore  necessarily  at  a loss  to  ex- 
plain, except  by  metaphor,  conflicts  between  these  machines  and  heroes 
of  ancient  days.  But  the  presiding  spii’its  at  Eleusis  and  Delphos  could 
have  furnished  the  clew,  and,  had  it  suited  their  views,  could  have  illus- 
trated the  entire  series  of  fire-breathing  monsters,  by  reference  to  their 
own  collections ; for,  as  before  remarked,  Eolipiles  went  from  the  altar  to 
the  field. 

In  those  remote  times,  when  superstition  reigned  paramount,  when 
common  objects  and  events  were  construed  into  omens  and  uncommon 
ones  were  looked  on  as  prodigies,  the  defeat  of  an  army  by  fire-breathing 
warriors  would  form  an  epoch  in  barbarian  annals ; exaggerated  descrip- 


Wars  of  the  Giants. 


19 


tions  of  flaming  cliariots,  of  giants,  dragons,  liippogrifls  and  hybrids  of 
every  horrid  form,  and  possessing  supernatural  powers,  would  be  bla- 
zoned abroad  and  become  permanently  preserved  in  tradition.  It  could 
not  be  otherwise  ; and  that  such  was  really  the  case  is  evident,  for  my- 
thology and  remote  history  is  replete  with  these  very  things  ; with  battles 
between  Gods,  Cyclops  and  Titans.  But  in  process  of  time  the  artificial 
nature  of  warring  Eolipiles  would  sooner  or  later  be  suspected  and  as- 
certained. Intrepid  individuals  took  courage  to  attack  and  had  the  good 
fortune  to  destroy  one.  Success  made  them  heroes,  if  not  something 
more.  To  swell  their  fame  the  form  and  faculties  of  their  strange  oppo- 
nents were  distorted,  and  the  story  repeated,  with  every  addition  that  a 
love  of  the  marvellous  could  invent  or  credulity  receive,  till,  as  ages 
rolled  away,  it  became  just  what  such  stories  yet  extant  are — stories  of 
monster-killing  gallants  from  Jason  to  Saint  George. 


AVARS  OF  THE  GIANTS. 

In  the  wars  of  the  giants,  fire,  thunder  and  thunderbolts  were  the 
chief  destructive  agents,  and  these,  w^e  are  told,  Avere  produced  by  and 
ejected  from  monsters,  apparently  precisely  in  the  maimer  of  Pusterich, 
Some  had  more  heads  and  arms  than  have  Hindoo  deities,  with  bodies 
terminating,  like  that  of  Dagon,  in  legs  resembling  fish  or  serpents. 
When  brought  into  battle  their  terrible  aspects  and  the  A'olumes  of  flame 
they  poured  forth  filled  their  enemies,  the  gods,  with  consternation. 
Defeated,  these  fled  into  Egypt,  where  they  learned  the  nature  of  their 
ardent  foes.  Jupiter,  Hercules,  and  their  associate  refugees  having  thus 
ascertained  that  their  victors  were  not  invincible,  recovered  courage, 
returned,  and  were  at  last  victorious.  Now  Avhat,  when  stripped  of  orien- 
tal ornament,  does  this  amount  to,  but  a conflict  similar  to  that  between 
Prester  John  and  his  Mongolian  invaders;  between  Begnerus  and  his 
unnatural  sons,  and  othersHn  which  fire-spouting  images,  figured  in  this 
supplement,  were  employed  % The  most  ingenious  conquering,  whether 
gods  or  mortals  were  combatants.  The  names  of  the  mythic  parties 
were  misnomers,  for  the  deities  were  ignorant  braggarts — they  could  not 
withstand  their  “ earth-born  ” enemies,  but  fled  for  refuge  and  instruction 
into  other  lands.  The  accounts  remarkably  resemble  Chinese  bulletins 
of  fights  with  Europeans — contests  between  modern  “Celestials”  and 
“outside  barbarians.”  For,  ancient  like,  existing  “sons  of  heaven” 
seem  to  have  placed  at  first  as  much  dependence  upon  their  divine  pre- 
tensions and  their  comminations  as  in  their  weapons,  and  therefore  AA^ere 
defeated.  The  giants  were  probably  ingenious  or  scientific  men — the 
Roger  Bacons  of  their  day — in  advance  of  the  age  and  consequently  de- 
nounced, as  such  have  ever  been,  by  self-styled  heirs  of  heaven,  as  infidel 
dogs  or  children  of  Tartarus. 

The  circumstance  of  the  divinities  flying  to  Egypt  when  they  could  not 
cope  with  the  fire-breathing  monsters,  or  rather  with  the  cunning  mon- 
ster-makers, is  remarkable.  There  they,  like  less  pretenders,  improved 
themselves  in  knowledge.  That  it  Avas  an  early  Pharaonic  policy  to  en- 
courage the  discontented  of  neighboring  nations,  is  abundantly  proved 
in  the  Old  Testament.  “Wo  to  them  that  go  to  Egypt  for  help — that 
strengthen  themselves  in  the  strength  of  Pharaoh  !”  [See  Isa.  chaps.  30  and 
31 ; Jerem.  42  and  43.]  How  deep  and  general  must  have  been  the  im- 
pression of  the  power  of  the  Pharaohs  to  call  forth  the  declaration — “ Noav 
the  Egyptians  are  men  and  not  God ; their  horses  flesh  and  not  spirit.” 


20 


Typhon. — Colchian  Bulls  and,  Dragon. 


T Y P H O N. 

Here  is  a description  of  Typhon,  the  most  famous  of  fighting  giants — 
can  it  be  doubted  that  he  was  a genuine  Pusterich  1 “ He  had  nume- 
rous heads  resembling  those  of  serpents  or  dragons.  Flames  of  devour- 
ing fire  rushed  hissing  from  his  mouth  and  eyes ; he  uttered  horrid  yells 
like  the  dissonant  shrieks  of  different  animals.  He  was  no  sooner  born 
than  he  warred  with  the  gods  and  put  them  to  flight.”  Not  a circum- 
stance is  here  mentioned  that  does  not  accord  with  his  alleged  artificial 
character,  and  there  are  few  others  which  do  not  harmonize  with  it. 
He  went  to  battle  as  soon  as  born,  that  is,  as  soon  as  he  was  made.  The 
whole  family  was  said  to  be  “ earth-born  ” — the  members  rising  out  of 
the  ground  completely  formed,  &c.;  indications  of  their  gross  not  ideal 
nature,  of  their  secret  construction  in  subterranean  workshops — the  lat- 
ter a precaution  essential  to  the  recognition  of,  and  belief  in  their  super- 
natural origin. 

She  sings,  from  earth’s  dark  womb  how  Typhon  rose, 

And  struck  with  mortal  fear  his  heavenly  foes. — [Ovid,  Met.  v.j 

The  name,  Typhon,  is  derived  from  a word  signifying,  “ to  smolceT 
The  goddess  of  night  was  the  mother  of  monsters  ; an  enigma  beau- 
tifully expressive  of  the  secret  fabrication  of  Eolipilic  imagery.  Typhon 
and  his  brethren  were  moreover  sons  of  Tartarus  as  well  as  of  Terra — 
were  brought  forth  of  earth  by  the  assistance  of  hell — a trait  still  further 
significative,  and  particularly  of  the  element  by  which  they  were  anima- 
ted, that  from  which  their  terrors  were  derived.  Demons  they  were  in 
shape,  occupations  and  attributes ; in  the  torments  they  inflicted  and 
the  victims  they  slew ; tangible,  and  the  most  perfect  representations  of 
evil  principles  and  passions.  The  paternity  of  these  monsters  is  the 
same  as  that  given  to  modern  ordnance,  so  true  it  is  that  similar  things 
ever  produce  the  same  ideas.  A thousand  times  have  guns  and  gun- 
powder been  described  as  infernal  inventions,  as  conceptions  injected 
by  demons  and  matured  by  their  influence. 

Does  the  idea  seem  too  gross  for  contending  gods  and  demi-gods  to 
fight  with  Eolipiles  ] Let  it  be  remembered  that  Milton  could  find  no 
warring  engines  so  appropriate  for  Satan  and  his  hosts  as  artillery.  In 
fact,  poets  can  only  arm  mortal  or  immortal  warriors  with  weapons  and 
agents  that  are  known,-  although  they  may  exaggerate  them.  All  sym- 
bolic imagery  must  be  derived,  directly  or  remotely,  from  earthly  types. 
The  author  of  Paradise  Lost  necessarily  followed,  in  this  respect  also, 
the  old  mythologists  he  copied,  and  as  “ fiery  monsters,”  whether  guns 
or  Eolipiles,  are  not  in  their  nature  and  effects  much  unlike,  we  find 
little  difference  in  ancient  poetic  descriptions  of  one,  and  modern  poetic 
descriptions  of  the  other.  Indeed  they  might  often  be  interchanged  with- 
out detection.  The  monsters  described  by  Milton  as  mounted  upon 
wheels,  wh©se  mouths  with  hideous  orifices  gaped,  and  which,  with  im- 
petuous fury,  belched  from  their  deep  throats  chained-thunderbolts  and 
iron  hail,  are  therefore  no  stronger  proofs  of  guns  and  gunpowder  being 
known  during  the  English  Commonwealth,  than  are  fire-breathing  hy- 
brids of  mythology,  of  the  early  use  of  Eolipilic  engines. 


THE  COLCHIAN  BULLS  AND  DRAGON. 

If  we  turn  to  later  examples  we  shall  find  circumstances  leaking  out 
which  betray  the  artificial  character  of  mythic  monsters.  The  Argo- 
nautic,  like  all  early  expeditions,  was  of  a piratical  nature.  Its  object 


Medea  and  Jason. — Flying- Dragons. 


21 


the  Colchian  treasury,  or  the  “ golden  fleece,”  a term  in  ancient  Syriac 
implying  treasures  of  gold.  These  were  protected  by  a dragon,  and  by 
two  brazen-horned  and  hoofed  bulls,  which  flashed  from  their  mouths 
and  nostrils  flames  and  smoke.  As  usual,  they  were  located  at  the  en- 
trance of  a cave. 

“ Thick  smoko  their  subterraneous  home  proclaims ; 

“ From  their  broad  nostrils  pour  the  rolling  flames.” 

\Apollonlus,  L.  iii.J 

The  daughter  of  ^Eetes  (the  Colchian  king)  becomes  enamored  of 
Jason.  The  lovers  swear  eternal  fidelity  to  each  other;  and  to  save  the 
adventurer’s  life,  Medea  explains  to  him  the  secret  of  the  monster’s 
powers.  Thus  informed,  and  furnished  with  an  ointment  to  protect  his 
face  and  hands  from  the  singeing  blast  at  the  onset,  he  approached  with 
a smiling  countenance,  as  well  he  might,  and  quickly,  to  the  chagrin  of 
the  monarch,  subdued  the  “ brazen  ” monsters.  If  any  doubt  remains  re- 
specting the  true  character  of  this  transaction,  it  is  greatly  if  not  wholly 
removed  by  the  subsequent  conduct  of  Medea.  She  every  where  evin- 
ces familiarity  with  the  principles  of  the  Eolipile — with  secret  applications 
of  fire,  steam,  sulphur,  inflammable  fluids  and  explosive  compositions. 
(See  page  120.)  By  the  adroit  use  of  these,  which  she  introduced  into 
Greece,  she  became  celebrated  as  the  most  expert  enchantress  of  an- 
tiquity. It  was  by  a clever  but  diabolical  trick  in  Pyrotechnics  she  de- 
stroyed Creusa,  while,  further  to  be  revenged  on  her  unfaithful  husband, 
she  contrived  to  set  his  palace  in  flames  and  then  disappeared  in  a cha- 
riot drawn  by  winged  dragons! — probably  some  startling  pyrotechnic 
device  learned  from  the  magicians  at  her  father’s  court,  and  under  the 
cover  of  which  she  withdrew ; unless  we  are  to  suppose  she  was  blown 
up  by  the  explosion  of  one  of  her  own  caldrons  or  compounds. 

There  is  no  improbability  in  the  supposition  that  attempts  at  flying 
were  somewhat  frequent  in  remote  ages,  and  that  jugglers  and  artists, 
like  Dsedalus,  did  then,  as  in  subsequent  times,  get  up  exhibitions  of  the 
kind  ; but,  be  this  as  it  might,  it  may  be  taken  for  granted  that  so  expert  a 
pyrotechnist  as  Medea,  was  at  no  loss  in  sending  up  a chariot  with  an 
artificial  representation  of  herself,  on  the  same  principle  as  such  things 
have  been  done  from  time  immemorial  in  India  and  among  the  Chinese. 
They  were  common  a few  centuries  ago  in  Europe.  Like  most  old 
writers  on  fire-works,  John  Bate  gives  directions  how  to  make  “ fire- 
drakes  ” and  “ flying-dragons.”  The  latter  were  to  be  constructed  of 
ribs  of  light  and  dry  wood,  or  with  whalebone  “ covered  with  muscovie 
glasse  and  painted.”  They  were  to  be  filled  with  “ petrars,”— fiery  ser- 
pents were  attached  to  their  wings,  which  were  arranged  to  shake  when 
the  monster  moved.  A sparkling  composition  was  to  burn  at  the  mouths 
and  tails,  and  one  or  two  large  rockets  were  to  be  attached,  “according 
to  the  bignesse  and  weight  of  each  dragon.”  The  trick  of  Simon  Magus, 
in  presence  of  Claudian  or  Nero,  was  perhaps  allied  to  that  by  which 
the  Colchian  enchantress  astounded  her  adopted  countrymen.  Giving 
out  that  he  would  prove  his  divinity,  or  his  alliance  with  the  gods,  by 
flying,  he  appeared  at  the  appointed  time,  as  the  story  says,  on  the  top 
of  a high  tower,  whence  he  flung  himself,  (or  an  artificial  substitute,) 
and  floated  for  some  time  in  the  air,  supported  by  demons  or  dragons. 
The  latter  no  doubt  as  real  as  the  huge  scarabeus  which  Dr.  John  Dee, 
state -conjurer  to  Elizabeth,  made,  and  which  flew  off  v/ith  a man  on  its 
back,  and  took  a basket  of  provisions  for  the  journey. 

Oriental  literature  is  laden  with  aerial  exploits  of  this  nature — of  en- 


22 


Ancient  and  Modern  Jugglers. — Medea  and  the  Dragon. 

chanters,  who  like  Medea,  or  Urganda  in  Amadis  de  Gaul,  transported 
men  through  the  air  on  artificial  serpents  and  dragons,  and  of  conflicts  be- 
tween knights  and  monsters.  But  for  the  loss  of  those  volumes  on  “ cu- 
rious arts,” — the  pile  of  magical  books  burnt  at  Ephesus — (Acts,  xix.  19.) 
many  an  ancient  and  modern  prodigy  might  have  been  explained.  "We 
know  with  w’hat  ardor  marvellous  tricks  and  stories  were  devised  and 
concocted  in  the  middle  ages,  ai]d  with  what  avidity  gaping  multitudes 
received  them.  Even  at  this  very  day  similar  tricks  are  played  off*  suc- 
cessfully by  monks  to  unsuspicious  congregations.  Is  it  any  wonder, 
then,  to  find  pagan  boors  in  Roman  times,  and  others  in  the  darkest  of 
mythic  epochs,  dupes  to  expert  jugglers  % We  may  regret  the  infatuation 
of  remote  ages,  but  we  should  not  forget  how,  in  comparatively  late 
days,  traditions  arose  and  swelled  in  wonder  as  years  rolled  over  them, 
and  how  mechanical  devices,  simple  in  themselves,  but  not  comprehend- 
ed by  the  public,  were  metamorphosed  into  supernatural  productions, 
which  increased  in  mystery  and  magnitude  as  the  times  when  they  were 
contemplated  receded  from  those  of  their  birth.  Had  printing  not  been 
introduced  we  might  have  competed  wfith  the  ancients  in  prodigies,  and 
prodigies  as  fully  believed ; for  there  are  few  old  examples  derived 
from  tangible  mechanism,  or  pure  phantasma,  that  have  not  been 
imitated  by  modern  manufacturers.  But  alas  for  these  ! the  revival  of 
letters  is  the  bane  of  their  fame.  Stripped  of  their  borrowed  garments 
they  stand  before  us  as  ordinary  mortals — a predicament  most  of  their 
predecessors  would  be  in,  had  we  equal  facilities  to  disrobe  them. 

The  manner  of  taming  the  dragon  at  Golchis  is  characteristic.  It  was 
the  work  of  Medea  rather  than  of  Jason,  accomplished  privily,  and  at 
midnight.  Instead  of  instructing  the  leader  of  the  Grecian  adventurers 
to  attack  it  as  he  attacked  the  bovine  monsters,  armed  with  his  faulchion 
and  club — a species  of  combat  that  might  have  alarmed  the  palace,  she 
adopted  a process  more  quiet  and  equally  eff’ective ; in  fact,  just  such  an 
one  as  might  have  been  expected  from  her. 

“ To  make  the  dragon  sleep  that  never  slept, 

Whose  crest  shoots  dreadful  lustre ; from  his  jaws 
A triple  tire  of  forked  stings  he  drawls, 

With  fangs  and  wings  of  a prodigious  size: 

Such  was  the  guardian  of  the  golden  prize. 

Yet  him,  besprinkled  with  Letlicean  devj, 

The  fair  enchantress  info  slumbers  threivd^  \^Met.  vii.] 

That  is,  in  unadorned  prose,  she  turned  or  threw  on  the  concealed 
boiler  and  furnace  a shower  of  cold  water ; and  thus,  without  injuring 
the  dragon,  sent  him  as  effectually  to  sleep  as  a steam-engine  is  without 
steam — the  very  device  which  has  been  recommended  to  render  harm- 
less a boiler  when  ready  to  explode. 

The  incident  mentioned  by  Apollonius  of  the  dragon  hissing  so  hor- 
ribly and  loud,  when  the  two  lovers  approached,  as  to  cause  neighboring 
forests  to  echo  back  the  sound  and  make  distant  people  start  in  their 
dreams,  is  pure  hyperbole  : if  modified  to  an  ordinary  growl  it  is  hardly 
reconcileable  with  what  he  just  before  narrates  of  the  lady  being  so  cau- 
tious of  awakening  the  numerous  palace-guards  as  to  escape  through 
by-paths  barefoot.  Sensible  of  the  solecism  he  in  the  next  breath  as- 
cribes the  undisturbed  repose  of  ^etes  and  his  family  to  magic.  It 
would  however  be  futile  to  attempt  to  extract  unadulterated  truth  in 
every  particular  from  labored  fiction,  and  particularly  in  dragon  history, 
to  make  out  where  truth  and  fable  meet,  where  one  begins  or  the  other 


The  ChimcLra. — Cacus. 


no 


ends.  Facts  woven  up  in  old  poetry  were  like  woollen  threads  in  Baby- 
lonian garments — valued  in  proportion  as  they  were  embellished.  The 
poet’s  like  the  sculptor’s  or  embroiderer’s  skill  was  measured  by  the  art 
with  which  ordinary  materials  were  lost  in  forms  and  ornament.  Fev/ 
think  of  aluminous  earth  while  viewing  the  splendid  vase,  and  none  look 
for  truth  unadorned  in  works  of  classic  artists. 


THE  CHIMERA. 

The  Chimaera  destroyed  by  Bellerophon  looks  very  like  another  speci- 
men of  Eolipilic  ingenuity,  though  represented  of  course  as  a living  ani- 
mal, agreeably  to  legendary  tradition  and  poetic  license.  Homer  de- 
scribes it  as 

Lion  faced, 

With  dragon  tail,  shag  bodied  as  the  goat, 

And  from  his  jaws  ejecting  streams  of  fire,  \ll.  vi.j 

The  most  popular  of  ancient  explanations  supposes  this  monster  sig- 
nified a burning  mountain,  whose  top,  on  account  of  its  desolate  nature, 
was  the  resort  of  lions,  [an  obvious  contradiction]  the  middle  being  fruit- 
ful, abounded  with  goats,  the  marshy  ground  at  the  bottom  swarmed 
with  serpents,  and  Bellerophon  by  cultivating  the  mountain  subdued  it ! 
Such  is  one  of  the  best  specimens  of  classical  guessing,  and  yet  both 
mountain  and  its  inhabitants  were  suppositious — assumed  for  want  of 
better  grounds  of  conjecture.  It  is  observable  that  old  fire-breathing 
monsters  are  represented  as  akin  to  each  other:  thus  the  Chimaera,  the 
dragon  which  guarded  the  golden  fruit  in  the  garden  of  the  Hesperides, 
Cerberus  and  others,  were  related  to  Typhon  and  the  rest  of  the  giants — 
as  if  to  intimate  their  common  nature,  so  that,  according  to  mythology 
itself,  if  one  was  an  automaton,  all,  or  nearly  all,  partook  of  the  same 
character.  If  the  mountain  supplied  the  true  solution  of  the  Chimaera,  it 
should  furnish  a key  to  unriddle  the  rest,  but  it  would  be  impossible  to 
locate  volcanoes  where  fiery  dragons  were — -in  gardens,  cellars,  palaces, 
&c.  and  still  more  so  to  make  them  travel  abroad  and  rush  hither  and 
thither  in  battle. 

How  much  more  reasonable  to  admit  the  Chimaera  to  have  been  an 
Eolipilic  dragon;  its  description  is  then  natural,  its  appearance  and  per- 
formances credible,  and  its  demolition  by  the  great  captain  consistent. 
Old  demi-gods  did  not  acquire  their  titles  by  wielding  the  mattock. 

If  the  figure  No.  289  had  a couple  more  heads  and  were  furnished 
with  the  caudal  terminus  of  a lizard  or  cayman,  it  would  form  no  bad 
representation  of  the  Chima3ra. 


CACUS. 

As  like  causes  produce  like  effects,  so  in  early  as  in  later  times  dis- 
banded soldiers  turned  often  robbers.  Too  idle  to  work,  numbers  of 
these  ruffians  lived  by  private  plunder  when  opportunities  ceased  for 
sharing  public  spoils.  Not  a few  of  the  old  heroes  belonged  to  this  class, 
and  among  them  was  Cacus.  The  story  of  this  famous  thief  is  an  adini- 


^ There  is  a striking  likeness  in  the  manners,  customs  and  superstitions  of  the  Co! 
chians,  as  portrayed  by  Apollonius  Rhodius,  and  those  of  the  people  described  bv  Saxo 
and  Olaus  Magnus,  It  would  be  a curious  fact  if  fighting  and  juggling  Eolipiles,  or 
the  knowledge  of  them,  lingered  in  the  regions  of  the  Euxine  and  Caspian  from  the 
adventure  of  the  Argonauts  to  the  battles  in  which  the  automatons  represented  in  figs. 
289  and  290  are  said  to  have  been  employed.  It  was  from  Scythia  the  arts  of  brass- 
founding and  working  in  metals  descended  to  lower  latitudes,  according  to  Pliny, 


24 


Tersomjication  of  Eolipiles — Geryon. 


rable  comment  on  the  state  of  society  in  his  day,  besides  famishing  an- 
other specimen  of  fraud  preying  on  credulity  by  means  of  Eolipiles.  A 
son  of  Vulcan,  he  knew  something  of  machinery  and  of  the  wonders, 
honest  and  dishonest,  his  father  wrought  by  it.  As  usual,  he  occupied  a 
cave  favorably  located  for  his  purposes. 

....  See  yon  rock  that  mates  the  sky, 

About  whose  feet  such  heaps  of  rubbish  lie; 

Such  indigested  ruin  ; bleak  and  bare, 

How  desert  now  it  stands,  exposed  in  air ! 

’Twas  once  a robber’s  den,  enclosed  around 
With  living  stone,  and  deep  beneath  the  ground 
The  monster  Cacus,  more  than  half  a beast. 

This  hold,  impervious  to  the  sun,  possess’d.  [En.  viii.  Dryden  ] 

At  the  cavern’s  mouth  he  had  a triple-headed  image,  which  (not  its 
owner')  belched  black  clouds  and  livid  lire.  It  was  at  length  destroyed 
by  Hercules,  who  we  have  seen  had  some  experience  in  such  matters. 
The  success  of  Cacus  in  levying  contributions  from  the  fields  and  folds 
of  the  simple  inhabitants  of  the  neighborhood,  and  on  drovers  passing 
through  it,  appears  to  have  been  due  to  the  tact  by  which  he  made  it 
generally  believed  that  he  and  the  monster  were  one  and  the  same  indi- 
vidual : — a common  ruse  this  in  such  cases,  and  one  by  no  means  pecu- 
liar to  mythic  epochs.  He  made  his  forays  in  the  night,  and  lay  concealed 
during  the  day. 

The  personification  of  Eolipilic  and  other  images  was  in  keeping  with 
their  design,  and  necessary  to  preserve  their  influence  over  the  igno- 
rant. As  they  sustained  the  characters  of  gods  and  demigods,  they  were 
addressed  as  such.  The  practice  differs  but  little  from  what  is  now  in 
vogue ; fire-engines,  mills,  ships,  guns,  &c.  have  male  and  female  desig- 
nations, are  often  spoken  of  as  if  endowed  with  spontaneity  and  pas- 
sions ; but  with  not  half  the  propriety  as  androids  representing  and  per- 
forming functions  of  living  beings.  Sometimes  these  are  so  delineated  in 
their  appearance,  feelings,  employments,  &c.  that  no  doubt  of  men  being 
intended  could  arise,  were  they  not  at  other  times  associated  with  attri- 
butes and  deformities  unknown  to  humanity.  The  solution  is  however 
easy  : — The  ancients  like  the  moderns  gave  their  names  to  certain  classes 
of  devices,  and  it  is  descriptions  of  these  which  we  confound  with  the 
persons  after  whom  they  were  named — ^the  artificial  dragon  of  Cacus 
with  that  individual.  The  same  cause  of  misapprehension  may  take  place 
with  regard  to  men  and  things  of  our  day.  What,  for  example,  must  peo- 
ple think,  some  thousands  of  years  hence,  of  Washington  and  Franklin, 
if  all  memorials  of  them  should  then  be  lost  except  a few  statements,  of 
which  one  described  them  as  floating  monsters,  300  feet>in  length,  with 
scores  of  brazen  mouths  through  which  they  vomited  floods  of  fire  and 
roared  so  loud  as  to  make  mountains  quake  : — or  according  to  another 
they  were  of  less  majestic  size,  but  showering  volumes  of  smoke  from 
iron  throats,  trembling  with  passion  when  obstructed  in  their  progress, 
and  then  starting  forward,  gasping  and  galloping  over  the  ground  with 
almost  lightning  speed,  and  leaving  trains  of  fire  behind  ! Land  and  wa- 
ter dragons  ! What  could  such  people  think  unless  informed  that  74  gun- 
ships  and  locomotive  carriages  often  bore  the  Christian  names  and  sur- 
names of  those  celebrated  men. 


GERYON. 

Geryon,  another  demigod,  resembled  Cacus  in  appearance  but  not  in 
circumstances  and  condition,  for  he  was  a prince,  and  rich  in  flocks  and 


Hercules. — Primitive  prevalence  of  Rohhery. 


25 


herds,  and  to  guard  them  had  a dog  with  two  heads  and  a dragon  with 
seven  ; both  of  which  were  overcome  by  Hercules,  who  also  slew  their 
owner  and  seized  the  cattle  as  his  rightful  spoil.  This  Quixote  of  mytho- 
logy travelled  in  quest  of  strange  adventures,  and  enriched  himself,  as 
all  heroes  did  and  do,  by  rapine.  In  his  time,  as  in  Job’s,  wealth  consist- 
ed principally  in  cattle ; and  cattle  stealing  was,  as  in  subsequent  times, 
not  held  dishonorable — except  when  unsuccessful.  Gods  and  demigods 
followed  and  acquired  fame  by  the  profession.  Of  primitive  moss-troop- 
ers none  equalled  Mercury  and  Hercules  in  cunning;  it  was  therefore  a 
sad  mistake  in  Cacus  to  seize  eight  of  Geryon’s  kine  while  in  the  posses- 
sion of  such  a bold  and  knowing  drover  as  Alcides.  Though  he  succeeded 
in  getting  them  unperceived  into  his  den,  his  fire-spitting  image  had  no 
fears  for  the  enraged  loser,  who  was  too  familiar  with  such  things  to 
dread  them.  ^ 

This  primitive  prevalence  of  robbery  sufficiently  accounts  for  the 
adoption  of  secret  and  extraordinary  devices  to  scare  night  thieves  from 
folds  and  dwellings  of  the  rich ; and  sure  we  are  that  modern  ingenuity 
might  be  taxed  in  vain  to  produce  one  better  adapted  to  terrify  the  igno- 
rant and  keep  the  dishonest  at  bay,  in  dark  and  grossly-superstitious  times, 
than  fame-ejecting  Eolipiles.  On  the  approach  of  a thief,  the  concealed 
attendant  had  only  to  open  a cock  to  send  a scorching  blast  on  the  offend- 
er, or  the  latter  might  himself  unconsciously  be  made  to  open  it  by  his 
weight — a species  of  contrivance  perfectly  in  character  with  the  genius 
and  acknowledged  jiroductions  of  ancient  artists.  Vulcan  was  full  of  such 
conceits.  Even  now  a grim-looking  image  of  the  kind  would  excite  no 
little  horror  among  stupid  burglars,  while  it  would  strike  savages  dumb. 

The  word  Geryon,  according  to  some  paleologists,  signified  thunder- 
bolts, and  was  allusive  to  the  hissing,  piercing,  overwhelming  and  scorch- 
ing blasts  which  issued  from  the  dog  and  dragon,  or  from  a tiiple-bodied 
monster  called  Geryon  : not  a slight  intimation  this  of  their  Eolipilic 
nature.  In  fact,  to  consider  them  as  figurative  creations,  and  the  rest  of 
the  characters  and  objects  real,  is  inconsistent ; unless  it  be  conceded 
that  Geryon’s  cows  were  kept  from  thieves  by  metaphors,  and  that  these 
were  hacked  and  shattered  by  material  clubs  and  faulchions.  It  would 
have  required  some  flaming  similes  to  frighten  experienced  cattle-lifters 
like  Cacus  and  Autolycus  from  their  destined  prey,  or  to  induce  them  to 
yield  up  acquired  spoils. 

To  resolve  these  “brazen”  monsters  into  mere  creations  of  the  brain, 
appears  to  us  as  reasonable  as  to  explain  away  in  like  manner  metalline 
automata  of  the  Bible — representing  them  as  having  had  no  connection 
with  the  crucible,  but  simple  abstractions  : the  serpent,  for  example,  as 
emblematical  of  the  cunning  of  hlosos,  and  the  calf  of  stupidity  in  the 
people.  By  the  same  process,  we  miglit  interpret  the  “bronze”  vessel 
or  statue  in  which  Eurystheus  concealed  himself  from  Hercules  into  an 
imaginary  symbol  of  excessive  fear;  and  so  with  the  brazen  bull  of 
Bhalaris  and  horse  of  Aruntius,  in  which  human  victims  were  consumed, 
and  their  shrieks  made  to  resemble  the  bellowing  of  oxen,  by  reverbera- 
ting through  interior  tubes  : a device  probably  as  old  as  Amalekitish 
artists,  and  even  older.  The  calf  or  heifer  cast  by  the  Israelites  in  the 
wilderness  “ lowed,”  according  to  the  Koran.  (Chap,  vii.) 

No  one  can  doubt  the  ability  of  workmen  ancient  as  Vulcan  and  the 
Cyclops  to  produce  machinery  of  the  kind.  If  one  fact  be  more  prominent 
than  another  in  the  earliest  records,  sacred  and  profane,  it  is  the  perfec- 
tion to  which  brass-founding  had  arrived,  and  the  amazing  extent  to 


26 


Primitive  Brass- Founding . — Cerberus. 


which  metallic  imagery  was  carried.  This  was  a natural  result  of  idol- 
atry. Superstition  was  the  nurse  of  these  arts ; the  keenest  intellects  and 
finest  workmen  were  engaged  in  them.  The  grand  distinction  between 
the  useful  professions  of  past  and  present  times,  is  not  due  to  any  differ- 
ence in  capacity  or  skill,  but  to  the  estimation  in  which  the  arts  were  and 
are  held.  The  ancients  were  ignorant  of  their  destined  influence  on 
human  happiness  and  glory,  and  therefore  only  such  branches  were  pa- 
tronized as  strengthened  the  hold  of  chief  priests  and  rulers  on  the  mul- 
titude. 


CERBERUS. 

It  is  said  of  Hercules  that  he  went  about  subduing  the  powerful,  re- 
lieving the  oppressed,  and  exposing  fraud  ; but  when  occasions  required 
he  obviously  acted  the  juggler  himself.  The  last  and  greatest  of  his 
twelve  labors — his  Cerberean  adventure-bears  on  every  feature  traces 
of  trick.  He  here  employs  the  very  device  which  Cacus,  Geryon,  ^etes 
and  others  had  found  so  successful.  To  play  it  off  well  would  establish  his 
fame  over  all  competitors.  Having  destroyed  every  earthly  dragon  he  had 
heard  of,  he  undertakes  to  wind  up  his  achievements  in  that  line  by  prov- 
ing his  prowess  upon  the  one  which  guarded  the  gates  of  hell.  It  was 
therefore  given  out  that  he  was  about  to  bring  up  Cerberus  to  light  and 
exhibit  him  to  mortal  view.  This  would  eclipse  all  other  dragon  transac- 
tions, and  this  he  accomplished  ! Is  it  asked  how  % Why,  by  entering  a 

dark  cavern''  on  Mount  Taenarus,  and  after  a while  dragging  to  its 
mouth  a three-headed  dog — an  Eolipilic  automaton  ! As  the  exhibition 
was  of  course  made  in  the  night,  the  affrighted  spectators,  and  all  not  in 
the  secret,  could  not  doubt,  at  the  distance  they  stood,  the  presence  of  the 
canine  guardian  of  T artarus ; its  eyes  glaring  with  living  fire,  smoke  pour- 
ing from  its  jaws,  its  movements  and  the  noise  it  made,’ would  more  than 
ensure  conviction.  The  public  part  of  the  performance  being  over,  the 
exhibiter,  agreeably  to  promise,  instantly  set  about  (no  doubt  to  the  grati- 
fication of  the  audience  and  particularly  of  Eurystheus)  to  remove  the 
monster  to  its  own  domicile.  There  is  no  room  to  doubt  this — he  certainly 
pulled  it  back  to  the  place  whence  he  drew  it  forth,  and  none  were  so  bold 
as  to  follow  and  see  how  he  succeeded.  Probably  not  one  of  thb  beholders 
but  would  rather  his  hands  and  feet  had  changed  places  than  have  ven- 
tured within  the  cave  on  this  occasion. 

We  can  form  a pretty  accurate  idea  of  the  sonorous  “roarings,”  the 
“ hissings,”  and  “variegated  yells”  of  mythic  monsters,  by  similar  sounds 
produced  when  steam  is  blown  off,  through  various  formed  orifices,  from 
modern  Eolipiles. 

A distinction  is  observable  in  the  characters  and  applications  of  fire- 
vomiting images.  Those  which  represented  gods  or  waixiors  partook 
more  or  less  of  the  human  figure,  while  such  as  guarded  enclosures  for 
cattle,  habitations,  and  places  where  riches  were  kept,  put  on  forms 
compounded  of  dogs,  serpents,  lizards,  bats,  &c.  i.  e.  were  dragons — aii 
idea  derived  from  the  employment  of  household  mastiffs  and  shepherd 
curs.  (A  beautiful  illustration  of  the  practice  of  protecting  houses  is 
seen  on  entering  the  vestibule  of  “The  house  of  the  Tragic  poet”  at 
Pompeii.  On  the  mosaic  pavemerft  is  lively  represented  a fierce  and 
full-sized  dog,  collared  and  chained,  in  the  act  of  barking,  and  ready  to 
spring  upon  the  intruder.  At  his  feet  is  the  caution,  in  legible  letters, 
rave  canem,  beware  of  the  dog.)  Griflins,  or  dragons,  says  Pliny,  form- 
€5rly  guarded  gold  mines,  and  in  old  illustrated  works  some  queer-look- 


27 


Gold  Mines  guarded  by  Dragons. — Origin  of  Tartarus. 

ing  nondescripts  are  seen  performing  that  duty.  The  sentiment  was 
once  universally  received ; it  still  has  believers  in  benighted  parts  of 
Europe,  and  over  a great  part  of  the  East.  It  was  encouraged  by  inte- 
rested individuals  to  keep  timid  thieves  at  a distance.  Ridiculous  as  it 
appears,  it  accords  with  every  other  occupation  of  dragons.  Why  not 
protect  rich  mines  as  well  as  a few  pounds  of  metal  % The  story  or  the 
fact  gave  rise  to  the  fable  of  Cerberus;  for  Tartarus,  its  occupants  and 
their  occupations  were  all  derived  from  earthly,  tangible  types. 

Pluto  was  an  extensive  mining  proprietor,  Tartarus  his  subten*aneati 
domains  ; its  fires  his  furnaces.  Demons  were  felons  condemned  “ to  the 
mines,”  where,  naked  and  in  “ chains,”  some  toiled  in  darkness,  and  were 
urged  to  unnatural  exertions  by  the  lashes  of  inexorable  overseers ; 
others,  ghastly  from  inhaling  the  poisonous  fumes,  appeared  still  more  so 
in  the  glare  of  sulphurous  fires,  in  which  they  roasted  and  smelted  the 
ores.  Their  punishment  was  endless,  their  sentence  irrevocable  ; they 
had  no  hopes  of  pardon  and  no  chance  of  escape.  Cerberus  freely  per- 
mitted all  to  enter  the  gate,  but  not  one  to  pass  out.  There  were  no 
periods  of  cessation  from  labor ; their  fires  never  went  out ; both  night 
and  day  the  smoke  of  their  torments  ascended  ; groans  never  ceased  to 
be  heard,  nor  the  rattling  of  chains  and  shrieks  of  despair.  Acheron, 
Cocytus  and  Styx  were  subterranean  streams,  each  possessing  some  pe- 
culiar feature  or  property,  while  near  Phlegethon  arose  a stream  of  car- 
buretted  hydrogen,  a phenomenon  not  uncommon  on  the  earth’s  surface, 
but  often  occurring  in  mines.  Such  is  the  most  probable  exposition  of 
the  origin  of  Tartarus.  From  w^hat  else,  indeed,  could  the  heathen 
have  derived  the  idea  at  epochs,  anterior  to  Scripture  descriptions  of 
hell,  and  before  prophets  or  apostles  flourished  1 We  know  that  the  an- 
cients sent  their  worst  felons  to  the  mines,  and  that  these  places  pre- 
sented the  most  vivid  representations  of  severe  and  ceaseless  punishment 
which  the  earth  affords.  The  greater  part  of  the  convicts  ere  they  en- 
tered these  dreary  regions  took  their  last  look  of  the  sun.  With  shud- 
dering horror,  pale,  and  eyes  aghast,  they  viewed  their  lamentable  fate. 
Milton’s  description  of  hell  was  literally  true  of  ancient  mines  and  sub- 
terranean smelting  furnaces. 

“ A dungeon  horrible,  on  all  sides  around 
As  one  great  furnace  flam’d,  yet  from  those  flames 
No  light,  but  rather  darkness  visible 
Serv’d  only  to  discover  sights  of  wo ; 

Regions  of  sorrow,  doleful  shades,  where  peace 
And  rest  can  never  dwell,  hope  never  comes 
That  comes  to  all ; but  torture  without  end 
Still  urges,  and  a fiery  deluge,  fed 
With  ever-burning  sulphur  unconsumed.” 

Does  the  reader  think  the  picture  too  highly  colored  for  mortal  per- 
dition 1 Why,  it  lacks  a modern  trait,  one  more  revolting  than  tlie 
ancients  ever  imagined.  Boys  and  girls  from  six  to  ten  years  and  up- 
wards, horn  and  bred  in  coal-pits,  less  knowing  than  brutes,  and  incom- 
parably vrorse  cared  for,  are,  or  were  recently,  wholly  employed  in  drag- 
ging and  pushing  on  ail  fours,  and  perfectly  denuded,  laden  sledges 
through  dark,  broken,  wet  and  tortuous  passages  or  sewers  to  the  pit’s 
mouth ! And  this  too  in  a Christian  and  enlightened  land,  where  no 
small  part  of  the  people’s  earnings  are  consumed  by  an  opulent  hie- 
rarchy ! Is  it  possible  for  hell  itself  so  effectually  to  efface  God’s 
image,  or  to  heap  such  accumulated  woes  on  infant  and  unoffending  vic- 
tims ? Pluto  and  his  myrmidons  would  have  quaked  with  passion  at  tl.\© 


28 


Sulphurous  Fires  in  TartaruL 


bare  proposal  of  such  a scheme ; yet  it,  and  other  evils  scarcely  less 
sickening  and  vile,  have  their  defenders  among  those  who  worship  the 
molochs  of  monarchy  and  mammon.  Heaven  help  the  oppressed  of  this 
earth — the  creators  but  not  partakers  of  its  wealth — who  industriously 
toil,  and  through  excessive  penury  prematurely  die — urged  to  produce 
a maximum  amount  of  work  with  a minimum  of  rest  and  food — who 
with  their  offspring  groan  in  hopeless  misery  here,  and  are  threatened 
with  endless  torments  in  another  life  if  they  remain  not  satisfied  “ in 
that  station  into  which,”  some  reverend  and  blaspheming  despots  say 

it  hath  pleased  God  to  call  them  !” 

The  reason  why  sulphur  figured  so  largely  in  descriptions  of  Tar- 
tarus must  be  apparent  to  all  conversant  with  mining  and  metallurgical 
operations.  It  is  the  earth’s  internal  fuel,  the  most  profuse  of  subterra- 
nean inflammable  substances.  It  pervades  most  mineral  bodies  ; and  not 
minerals  alone,  but  in  metalliferous  ores  it  wonderfully  abounds.  All  the 
principal  ores  of  commerce  are  sulphurets ; iron, . silver,  copper,  tin, 
lead,  zinc,  &c.  Of  these  some  contain  15,  and  others  50  per  cent,  and 
upwards  of  sulphur,  to  get  rid  of  which  constitutes  the  chief  difficulty  in 
their  reduction.  In  order  to  this  they  are  “ roasted  ” at  a low  red  heat 
for  six,  twelve,  twenty,  and  some  for  thirty  hours,  that  the  sulphur  may 
be  volatilized,  and  not  till  its  blue  flames  cease  is  the  signal  realized  to  in- 
crease the  heat  and  fuse  the  metal.  Thus,  for  every  ton  of  the  latter,  half 
a ton,  and  often  a whole  ton  of  the  former  has  to  be  driven  off  in  flames 
and  vapor ; so  that  it  was  with  strict  propriety  said  that  Pluto’s  fires' 
were  fed  with  it.  Comparatively  speaking,  they  consisted  of  little 
else,  and  little  else  was  felt  or  seen.  It  impregnated  every  object,  while 
from  its  offensive  odor  and  suffocating  fumes  none  could  escape.  Im- 
mense quantities  of  common  brimstone  are  obtained  by  collecting  and 
condensing  the  vapors  that  ascend  from  smelting  furnaces ; and  it  may 
have  been  this,  or  a native  mass,  which  formed  the  throne  or  usual  seat 
of  the  lord  of  the  lower  regions.  As  long  as  the  earth  endures,  volcanos 
burn,  and  minerals  are  reduced,  there  will  be,  as  in  Pluto’s  time,  arti- 
ficial as  well  as  natural  fires  of  ever-burning  sulphur. 

There  are  passages  in  Maundeville’s  Travels  corroborative  of  Carpini’s 
images  and  Pliny’s  Griffins.  He  speaks  of  artists  in  northern  Asia  as 
wonderfully  expert  in  automatical  contrivances — “fulle  of  cauteles  and 
sotylle  disceytesfi  making  “ bestes  and  bryddes,  that  songen  full  delecta- 
bely,  and  meveden  be  craft,  that  it  semsede  thei  weren  quyke.”  In  his 
28  Cap.  he  describes  a valley  rich  in  gold  and  silver,  (in  the  “lordchippe 
of  Prester  John,”)  but  it  abounded  with  devils,  and  few  men  who  ventured 
there  for  treasure  returnelir  This  was  the  story,  and  we  need  not  say 
how  like  a primitive  artifice  to  scare  people  from  intruding.  “ And  in 
mydde  place  of  that  vale,  imdir  a roche,  is  an  hed  and  the  visage  of  a 
devyl  bodyliche,  fulle  horrible  and  dreadfulle  to  see,  and  it  schewethe 
not  but  the  hed  to  the  schuldres.  But  there  is  no  man  in  the  world  so 
hardy,  Cristene  man  ne  other,  but  that  he  wold  ben  a drad  for  to  behold 
it ; and  that  it  wolde  semen  him  to  dye  for  drede,  so  hideouse  is  it  for 
to  beholde.  For  he  beholdethe  every  man  so  scharpley,  with  dredfulle 
eyen  that  ben  evere  more  movynge  and  sparklynge  as  fuyr,  and  chaung- 
ethe  and  sterethe  so  often  in  dyverse  manere,  with  so  horrible  counte- 
nance, that  no  man  dar  not  neighen  [approach]  towardes  him.  And  fro 
him  comeihe  smoke  and  stynk  and  fuyr,  and  so  much  abhomynacioun,  that 
unethe  no  man  may  there  endure.”  This  was  one  of  the  tricks  which 
^he  traveller  could  not  tell,  whether  it  was  done  “ by  craft  or  by  negro- 


Dragons. — Chinese  Festivals. 


29 


mancye.”  From  automata  he  saw  in  the  country  belonging  to  Prester 
John’s  father-in-law,  [China]  he  was  led  to  conclude  that  artists  there 
surpassed  all  men  under  heaven  for  deceptive  inventions. 

That  devices  like  the  one  just  described,  or  similar  to  the  brazen 
horses  of  Regnerus,  were  in  vogue  in  the  East,  in  Maundeville’s  time,  ap- 
pears from  Marco  Paulo,  who  mentions  magic  contrivances  for  darken- 
ing the  air  with  clouds  of  smoke,  &c.  in  use  by  the  military,  and  under 
cover  of  which  many  were  slain.  Marco  himself  was  once  in  danger  of 
his  life  on  such  an  occasion : he  escaped,  but  several  of  his  associates 
were  cut  off. 

DRAGONS. 

Had  not  ideas  of  fire-spouting  nondescripts  been  exceedingly  ancient 
they  had  never  become  so  intimately  and  universally  mixed  up  with 
human  affairs.  Throughout  the  old  world  the  dragon  was  the  ne  ghis 
'ultra  of  impersonations  of  the  horrible— the  king  of  monsters.  It  is  so 
now,  and  a more  appalling  one,  or  one  invested  with  more  terrific  quali- 
ties cannot  be  devised.  So  deeply  was  its  image  impressed  on  ancient 
minds  that  it  pervaded  history,  song,  and  all  religions.  We  meet  with  it 
in  the  Scriptures  as  well  as  in  the  classics.  The  devil,  from  his  reputed 
connection  with  smoke  and  liquid  fire,  is  named  “the  great  dragon.”  In 
old  religious  processions,  and  in  the  “mysteries”  or  dramatic  represen- 
tations of  the  church,  Satan  was  symbolized  by  an  image  of  a dragon 
spitting  fire.  The  author  of  the  apocalypse  seems  to  allude  to  mythic 
fire-breathing  images  in  the  following  passage.  “ If  any  man  will  hurt 
them,  fire  proceedeth  out  of  their  mouths  and  devoureth  their  enemies.”  “ 

The  universal  custom  of  exhibiting  figures  of  dragons  in  ecclesias- 
tical and  civic  pomps  was  a mythic  relic — a practice  continued  from 
times  when  captured  idols  and  warring  Eolipiles  were  led  in  triumph. 
Then,  objects  of  superstitious  dread,  they  now  amused  spectators  : at 
the  coronation  of  Anne  Bulleyn,  a “ foyste  ” or  galley  preceded  the 
lord  mayor’s  barge ; “ in  which  foyste  was  a great  red  dragon,  continu- 
ally moving  and  casting  forth  wild  fire  : and  round  about  the  said  foyste 
stood  terrible,  monstrous  and  wilde  men,  casting  fire  and  making  a hide- 
ous noise.”  If  the  truth  could  be  known,  there  would  be  found  little  dif- 
ference between  this  modern  monster  and  some  of  its  ancient  namesakes. 

No  chimerical  being  was  ever  so  celebrated  as  the  dragon.  To  it 
temples  were  dedicated,  of  which  some  remained  in  classical  eras.  The 
practice  is  continued  in  China.  Of  an  official  dignitary  it  is  said,  ere  he 
entered  on  the  duties  of  his  office  (at  Canton,)  he  one  morning  paid  his 
devotions  at  eight  temples,  of  which  one  was  consecrated  to  the  god  of 
fire,  another  to  the  god  of  wind,  and  a third  to  the  dragon  or  dragon- 
king.  “The  festival  of  the  dragon-boats”  is  another  relic  of  times  when 
these  artificial  monsters  were  in  vogue.  \Chinese  Rep.  iii.  95,  47.]  The 
legends  of  China  and  Japan  teem  with  dragon  allegories  and  apologues. 
The  figure  is  an  imperial  emblem,  and  as  such  is  wrought  on  robes, 
painted  on  porcelain,  carved  on  dwellings,  ships,  furniture  and  other 


^ In  Scandinavian  and  ancient  British  history,  and  throughout  northern  Asia  and 
Europe,  the  dragon  was  the  universal  minister  of  vengeance.  It  was  eventually  made 
typical  of  all  destructive  agents — of  water  as  well  as  fire.  It  became  a symbol  of  the 
deluge,  on  which  account  figures  of  it  pouring  water  from  the  mouth  were  adopted  in 
ancient  fountains.  Some  of  these  have  been  noticed  in  this  volume.  May  not  St. 
John  have  had  one  in  view  when  he  wrote  “ And  the  dragon  cast  out  of  his  mouth 
water  as  a flood.”  [Rev.  xii.  13-97.] 


30  Dragons  with  many  Heads. — Dedicated  to  Minerva. 

works  of  art.  No  people  retain  so  many  characteristics  of  times  when 
Eolipilic  monsters  flourished.  They  act  on  the  same  principle  as  old 
warriors  did,  by  trying  to  frighten  their  enemies  with  warlike  scare- 
crows, with  pompous  orders — assuming  the  language  of  gods  and  ad- 
dressing other  people  as  devils,  dogs  and  reptiles.  Their  taste  for  the 
horrible  extends  to  civil  life;  things  of  the  wildest  forms  which  imagi- 
nation can  furnish  or  nature  reveal  are  most  highly  prized. 

As  a guardian  of  temples,  sacred  groves  and  treasures,  the  celebrity 
of  the  dragon  has  continued  to  present  times.  Enforcing  a principle  in 
ancient  ethics,  it  kept  the  ignorant  honest  by  frightening  them.  But  when 
it  lost  this  magic  power,  and  enchanted  chambers  could  no  longer  be 
relied  on,  eastern  monarchs  sought  out  natural  monsters  to  guard  their 
precious  stones  and  living  jewels.  Deformed  negroes;  the  most  hideous 
of  nature’s  abortions,  are  now  the  sentinels  of  eastern  treasuries  and 
seraijlios. 

Mythic  dragons  had  commonly  a multiplicity  of  heads.  This  was  in 
keeping  with  their  design  and  with  the  taste  of  the  times.  Each  addi- 
tional member  adding  horror  to  their  appearance  and  furnishing  in  the 
mouth  and  eyes  additional  orifices  for  the  issuing  flames ; like  fire-en- 
gines that  eject  several  streams.  The  device  is  very  analagous  to  others 
common  in  old  war-engines.  The  idea  was  adopted  by  the  author  of  the 
most  figurative  book  of  the  Scriptures.  He  speaks  of  “ a great  red  dra- 
gon with  seven  heads  and  ten  horns.”  The  figure  No.  288  it  will  be 
seen  has  one  horn.  Most  of  the  idols  of  the  Hindoos,  and  of  the  orientals 
generally,  have  numerous  heads,  and  some  have  horns.  By  dragons  in 
the  Bible,  crocodiles,  or  large  serpents,  are  commonly  intended,  but 
chimerical  or  mythic  beings  are  obviously  intended  in  such  passages  as 
the  one  above  quoted. 

Another  characteristic  in  dragon  biography,  attributed  to  rather  mo- 
dern individuals,  was  an  undoubted  trait  in  the  patriarchs  of  the  species. 
When  one  was  overcome  without  being  demolished,  it  was  generally  led 
in  triumph,  in  the  manner  of  Theseus  showing  off  the  Marathonian  bull 
in  the  streets  of  Athens — or  of  Saint  Romain  leading  with  his  stole  a 
fierce  dragon  to  the  market-place  at  Rouen — the  victor  receiving  the  con- 
gratulations of  his  countrymen  on  his  prowess,  and  the  prisoner  behav- 
ing the  while,  as  well  behaved  prisoners  should — i.  e.  silently  submit- 
ting to  the  will  of  the  captors.  Suppose  the  dragon  figured  at  No.  289, 
exhausted  of  its  contents,  (in  battle  it  would  often  require  fresh  charging,) 
its  movements  put  a stop  to,  and  in  that  condition  captured ; what  fol- 
lows, but  that  the  victors  put  one  end  of  a rope  round  its  neck  and  the 
other  in  their  hands  ; and  have  we  not  then  a perfect  representation  of  a 
fiery  monster  becoming  harmless  as  a lamb  and  tamely  submitting  to  be 
led  about,  as  ancient  chronicles  have  it,  “ like  a meke  beaste  and  de- 
bonayre.” 

But  the  dragon  was  dedicated  to  Minerva ; and  to  whom  else  could 
it  have  been  so  appropriately  devoted  ? One  might  almost  fancy  she 
mounted  this  popular  form  of  the  Eolipile  on  her  cap  as  a compliment 
to  old  artists.  Certainly  if  the  patroness  of  the  useful  arts  had  now  to 
select  an  expressive  symbol  of  her  best  gift  to  mortals,  she  would  adopt 
the  same  thing  in  its  modern  shape — a miniature  engine  and  boiler. 
This  she  would  consider,  like  Worcester,  her  “ crowning”  device.  But 
it  is  perhaps  said,  the  ornament  on  her  crest  was  an  emblem  of  war. 
Well,  was  not  that  the  chief  use  to  which  Eolipilic  dragons  were  put? 
Then  was  she  not  so  familiar  with  artificial  lightning  and  thunder  as  to 


Analogies  between  ancient  and  modern  Eolipiles.  31 

have  rivalled  her  father  in  hurling  them  at  will  on  her  foes.  She  took 
part  in  the  wars  of  the  giants,  and  destroyed  not  the  least  of  the  kindred 
of  Typhon  herself.  Another  circumstance  indicative  of  her  acquaintance 
with  Eolipilic  contrivances  is  the  fact,  (noticed  on  a previous  page,)  of 
her  image  at  Troy  having  the  faculty  of  sending  flames  from  its  eyes. 

It  were  easy  thus  to  proceed  and  point  out  the  artificial  character  of 
most  of  the  imaginary  monsters  of  antiquity — to  render  in  a high  degree 
probable,  that,  like  acknowledged  androidal  and  automatal  productions 
of  Vulcan,  Deedalus,  Icarus,  Perillus,  and  other  artists  named  by  Pliny  in 
his  34th  Book,  they  were  originally  mechanical,  pyrotechnical  or  eolipilic 
images ; sometimes  combining  two  or  more  and  occasionally  other  ele- 
ments in  their  functions  and  movements  ; that  the  faculty  of  locomotion 
attributed  to  some  accorded  not  only  with  applications  of  modern  me- 
chanism, but  with  avowed  artificial  contrivances  of  ancient  artists,  and 
that  their  material  natures  were,  in  after  times,  construed  into  the  ideal, 
either  from  ignorance  or  by  the  imagination  of  poets — but  this  is  unne- 
cessary. Enough  has  been  said  to  induce  the  reader  to  pursue  the  sub- 
ject, or  to  reject  the  hypothesis  as  untenable.  The  antiquity  of  Eolipiles 
is  unquestionable.  Their  origin  is  lost  in  remote  time.  We  know  they 
were  made  in  fantastic  and  frightful  forms,  were  used  as  idols,  designed 
to  spout  fluids  and  eject  fire— the  very  attributes  ascribed  to  mythic 
monsters.  Is  it  unreasonable  then  to  suppose  the  latter  had  no  existence 
except  as  Eolipiles  I But  if  it  be  contended  they  were  wholly  figurative, 
from  what  were  the  conceptions  derived,  if  Eolipiles  were  not  the  things 
they  symbolized  ; and  how  account  for  coincidences  which  nothing  else 
in  nature  or  in  art  can  produce  ? One  observation  more,  and  we 
conclude  : — 

Early  applications  of  Eolipiles  and  their  present  employment  as  steam 
boilers,  suggest  some  interesting  analogies.  Emblems  of  half  civilized 
times  and  races,  they  connect  the  remote  part  with  the  present.  Ordain- 
ed as  it  were  to  move  in  advance  of  the  arts  and  astonish  mankind,  they 
have  lost  none  of  their  virtue.  If  their  ancient  vagaries  shook  commu- 
nities with  alarm,  their  current  deeds  are  eliciting  the  woi'ld’s  admira- 
tion. They  furnished  tradition  with  marvellous  stories,  and  modern  his- 
tory is  engaged  in  recording  their  wonders.  They  supplied  matei'ials  for 
the  earliest  and  worst  chapters  in  the  earth’s  annals ; to  them  and  their 
effects  will  be  devoted  some  of  the  latest  and  best.  Formerly  they  feebly 
personated  Gods  ; now,  the  sole  animators  of  our  grand  motive  engines, 
they  annihilate  time  and  space  by  their  movements  and  laugh  at  all  phy- 
sical resistance.  Children  watch  their  operations  with  ecstacy  and  old 
men  hardly  believe  what  they  see.  Once  an  instrument  of  the  worst 
of  tyrannies,  the  Eolipile  is  becoming  the  most  effectual  agent  in  the  ex- 
tinction of  tyrants.  Instead  of  acting,  as  of  yore,  on  human  fears  ; debasing 
the  mind  and  furthering  the  views  of  oppressors,  it  captivates  the  judg- 
ment of  the  wisest,  elevates  nations  in  morals,  and  confers  on  them 
wealth  and  extended  domain.  The  gem  of  old  miracle-mongers,  it  is  the 
staple  device  of  living  magicians,  for  its  present  improvers  and  users  are 
the  genuine  representatives  of  Pharaonic  Savans  and  mythologic  Magi. 

New-York,  July,  1845. 

THE  EM). 


D Fanshaw,  Printer,  150  Nassau-sti’eet,  Now-York, 


